


Phoenix

by Morgan and Gharedsu (morgan32)



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Alternate Universe, Epic, Multi, Tok'ra
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-11-23
Updated: 2009-12-26
Packaged: 2017-10-03 15:17:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 31
Words: 193,647
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19513
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/morgan32/pseuds/Morgan%20and%20Gharedsu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Everything is changing. Daniel Jackson, badly hurt on a mission with SG-1, is recovering in hospital when disaster strikes the SGC in the form of an alien contagion. With so many of their friends and colleagues dead, O'Neill is offered his own command: a new, off-world base called Stargate Alpha. The catch: to accept the command Jack has to leave his best friend back on Earth. As O'Neill and Carter struggle with the challenges of leadership, Daniel struggles to come to terms with what might be a permanent disability. When the Tok'Ra offer Daniel a symbiot he is very tempted to accept. But is his health worth the price?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Ashes

**Author's Note:**

> Phoenix was many years in the making. It began in 1999 as a short story (Quest) which I abandoned when the show's canon firmly contradicted the conclusion I had planned. Left for dead, the story rose from its own ashes in 2002, partly in response to the loss of Daniel from the series, and partly because of some things I heard about the upcoming season six. It took me a long time to recreate Phoenix from those ashes, and I couldn't have done it alone. I owe a great debt to everyone who helped me: Bev, who helped in the beginning; Gharedsu my co-author, who stepped in when writers' block threatened to end the project before it began; Monica, who knows how to see the way out; everyone who sent feedback on the first version posted and too many others to name.
> 
> This novel was originally posted in 2006 as an illustrated, serialised story. As AO3 does not currently support image uploads, I am only posting the text here. If you would like to read the story with the illustrations included, [you can find it at my website, MorganBriarwood.net](http://morganbriarwood.net/fiction/phoenix). That version also contains detailed warnings and a timeline comparison with Stargate SG-1 canon.

### The First Loss

The air crackled with the energy of Teal'c's staff weapon. Daniel's heart was pounding, his lungs burning for lack of oxygen as he raced to the DHD. He dialled the Earth address as quickly as he could, pushing the red disk too hard in his haste. He glanced back over his shoulder. The death gliders were almost at the gate, and the others were still too far away. The few seconds it took for the wormhole to establish crawled by. This was their last chance to escape.

A death glider fired and Daniel threw himself to the ground, using the DHD as cover. The blast filled the air around the stargate with sand and dust. Daniel landed heavily and pain shot down his leg. He glanced up to Teal'c and saw him keying in the GDO code before raising his staff weapon again. Their eyes met briefly. It was enough.

"Daniel!" Sam shouted as she and Jacob reached them. Jacob hung on to his daughter's shoulders; his wound made it hard for him to walk and Daniel was amazed Sam had kept up with him so well.

"I'm all right. Go!" he told her.

Sam didn't argue. She was supporting her father with an arm around his waist, leaving her unable to aim or fire her gun, so she couldn't help Teal'c and Daniel cover the gate. She half-carried Jacob to the event horizon. Teal'c fired again and again, covering their escape.

Daniel looked for Jack. He was moving too slowly, weighed down by the crate he carried, and by the old man at his side. "Come on, Jack," Daniel muttered impatiently. If they didn't move faster they were both going to be killed. The second death glider flew low, straight at them. "Jack!" Daniel yelled: a pointless warning.

Jack dropped the crate and turned, his gun in his hands. He fired up at the glider. Teal'c's fire joined Jack's and the glider flew upwards, evading the dual attack. The old man stumbled and fell. The glider turned for another pass, firing into the dust-filled valley. The blast hit very close to the fleeing men, and for a moment, flying debris obscured Daniel's view.

"Teal'c, can you cover me?" he asked, shouting over the noise. He waited for the Jaffa's silent acknowledgment before running to Jack's aid.

"Daniel, what are you doing?" Jack asked, his eyes still scanning the sky.

Daniel didn't answer. He had seen what Jack hadn't — yet. He knelt beside the old man, turning his body over. The old man was alive, but he was bleeding from two deep wounds in his thigh and abdomen. Shrapnel was still embedded in his thigh. Daniel lifted the old man awkwardly. He needed a medic, which meant the SGC, and Janet. Daniel couldn't risk a fireman's carry; he had to lift the man in his arms like a child. He was heavy. Daniel hurried back to the stargate with Jack at his side, the precious crate abandoned behind them.

They reached the gate and Jack shouted, "Go!" to Teal'c. Teal'c obeyed, vanishing through the event horizon. Daniel and Jack ran toward the gate. They were together all the way, Jack holding back because Daniel was slowed down by the old man's weight in his arms. At the last moment before they stepped through the gate Daniel stumbled and saw Jack, a split second ahead of him, go through the stargate alone.

He hefted the old man's body again. With the last of his strength he stumbled forward. An instant before Daniel reached the safety of the event horizon the world exploded around him and his body was engulfed by pain.

* * *

Colonel O'Neill shivered with the familiar cold of stargate travel as he stepped out onto the ramp. He turned to speak to Daniel. There was only empty air where Daniel should have been. His heart beating faster he stared at the shimmering event horizon. The seconds ticked by and no one appeared.

A cloud of debris exploded through the gate. Jack ducked instinctively, throwing up an arm to protect his face from the flying rocks. The event horizon flickered wildly.

Behind him, someone shouted, "Close the iris!"

"Negative!" Jack yelled back. "Daniel's still out there!"

An instant later, Daniel fell onto the ramp, still carrying Cleis in his arms.

"Now! Lock it up!" Jack rushed to Daniel's side. "I need a medic here now!" Daniel was unconscious, his clothing blackened and still smoking. The most frightening thing was the smell, like burned meat. Jack barely even noticed Cleis' body beneath Daniel's.

A medic was already on the ramp. He felt for a pulse at Daniel's neck. "He's alive, Colonel. Stand back and let us work." Without waiting for a response, he called over his shoulder. "I need a spinal board before we can move him."

Reluctantly, Jack backed off. He saw Teal'c and Hammond at the base of the ramp, watching him. He took a breath, steadying his nerves. As always, the job came first. He walked down the ramp.

"Report, Colonel."

"We got everyone out, sir. Cleis and Daniel were the last. Cleis was desperate to save some project of his. We managed to pack it all up, but I had to abandon it when we came under fire on the way to the stargate." Jack looked again at the two blood-soaked bodies on the ramp. "Whatever it was, it wasn't worth this."

The bodies were being lifted onto two gurneys.

General Hammond nodded, watching the medics work. "Report to the infirmary, Colonel. We'll debrief tomorrow."

* * *

  


### Four Hours Later

Janet stripped off the blood-saturated surgical gloves. She washed her hands quickly, then lifted a cloth and wiped the sweat from her brow. She felt more tired than she had ever been.

The other members of SG-1 would be waiting for her. Wearily, she headed out of the operating room to where they were waiting. In the confines of Janet's small office, the tension of the team was palpable. Teal'c stood in a corner, his expression grim. Sam sat next to him, her hands clasped in her lap, her eyes open, staring at nothing. The colonel was pacing back and forth: he looked like a caged tiger.

"Colonel O'Neill," Janet said softly.

He quit pacing instantly and looked at her. "Doc." The word was curt.

More gently than the colonel, Sam asked, "How is he?"

"Not good," she answered honestly, speaking to Sam. Then she looked up at the colonel. "Daniel suffered second and third degree burns over almost a third of his body. He has some severe lacerations and internal bleeding and he's lost a great deal of blood."

"Will he be all right?" O'Neill interrupted, his dark eyes intense.

Janet returned his look steadily. "Colonel, I wish I could give you a straight answer. I've done everything I can for him. If Daniel lives through the night, there is a chance he'll make a full recovery, but only a chance. He will need more skilled help than I can give him here at the SGC." They received her report in silence. She saw pain and resignation in O'Neill's eyes. Teal'c's expression hardly changed at all.

Sam closed her eyes, the knuckles of her clasped hands turning white. "How bad is it, Janet?"

Janet hesitated. Sam looked stressed out and exhausted, and the colonel was at the end of his endurance. She couldn't burden them with more. Not now. "I'll be able to tell you more in the morning," she stalled. "I want you all to go home and rest."

"I will remain," Teal'c said, the first words he had spoken.

Janet shook her head. "Teal'c, I understand your desire to stay close, but there's nothing you can do here. Please, get some rest. Even you need to kel'no'reem."

"No." O'Neill said flatly. "You can't make me leave when Daniel could be _dying_!"

Most people on the base would have fled from the colonel using that tone. Janet fought her urge to take a step back and met his eyes steadily. "I will make that an order if I have to, Colonel. Listen to me. You are exhausted, and what Daniel needs now is rest and peace, not you pacing at his bedside. I know you mean well, but hanging around here will not help either of you. Daniel's condition is being constantly monitored. If it looks like you should be here, I promise you'll know, Colonel. Now get out and let me do my job."

She saw O'Neill's jaw set in stubborn lines. "I won't—" he began.

Sam stood, reaching out to touch his arm. "Colonel. She's right. There's nothing we can do here."

As the colonel locked eyes with Sam, Janet thought she would have a real battle on her hands. To her relief, after a tense moment O'Neill nodded. "Doc, if there's any change, you page me. Anything at all. Understand?"

"Understood, Colonel," Janet said resignedly. Did the man think she didn't sleep or something?

O'Neill and Teal'c left the room then, but Sam held back.

"What is it, Major?"

"Are _you_ okay?"

Janet sank down into a chair. "I'm tired, that's all. Three hours in the OR with Daniel...this kind of surgery isn't my strongest suit, but there was no one else available. I still have patients to take care of." She sighed. "I'll be fine, Sam. Thank you."

"I'd like to stay with my Dad, if that's okay?" Sam suggested.

Janet wondered if the request was more about Daniel than about Sam's father, but ultimately it didn't matter. Sam needed sleep as badly as Colonel O'Neill, and she wouldn't get it in the infirmary. She shook her head firmly. "Sam, your father will be fine. His injury was more painful than dangerous. Selmak will have him back to normal by morning. I think you know that." She looked at her friend sharply. "_Is_ this about Daniel?"

Clearly reluctant, Sam nodded. "I need to know he'll be okay."

"Sam. According to the report, SG-1 just spent _sixty hours_ under fire. Go home. Sleep. That's an order. If I hear you've come onto the base before eight in the morning I _will_ relieve you of duty."

Sam stared at her a moment longer, then answered, "Yes, ma'am." She left Janet alone in the room.

Janet watched her go, then leaned forward, crossed her arms on the desk and laid her head down. Just a few minutes rest... What did Sam - and the rest of them for that matter - expect of her? A nice, reassuring lie? _Yes, Sam, he'll be fine. Right as rain within a week. Just like the Easter Bunny._ Daniel's body was a mess, so much so Janet didn't know for sure he would live through the night. If he survived, he might come to wish he had died. Daniel would have a long, hard road to recovery ahead of him.

What did they all want from her? A miracle?

* * *

  


### Morning, 0534

Janet drained the coffee cup to the dregs. It was her second of the day. She had slept: a few, too-short hours in a bunk somewhere, but her sleep was plagued with dreams, unrestful. She eventually rose and headed back to the infirmary to check on her patients.

Daniel seemed stable at last. Jacob Carter was sleeping normally, no visible sign of his injury remaining. Janet wasn't concerned about him. If only all her patients healed as easily as the Tok'Ra.

Her third patient from the evacuation was the old man Daniel had saved: Cleis. Cleis looked about sixty in human terms, but she couldn't guess his true age. I could be than three times that. Janet hadn't been sure that his symbiot would be able to heal him: his injuries had been serious and his body showed signs of old age. Janet guessed he was nearing the end of his life even with the symbiot's ability to sustain him. For the present, though, Cleis seemed to be pulling through.

When she checked the monitors at his bedside she had seen him stir in his sleep. She waited there for a few moments. His eyes opened.

"Hello," Janet said gently. "I'm Doctor Janet Fraiser. You're at Stargate Command, on Earth."

"I am Entar," he answered, his voice overlaid with the deeper tones of the symbiot.

"How do you feel?" she asked him.

A faint smile touched his lips. "Tired. Ill. My host's injury was grave."

"Then I'll leave you to rest. If there's anything you need..." she gestured toward the open office door, "...I'll be nearby."

"You have my thanks," Entar answered.

Janet found herself some coffee and sat down to write up her report. When she was done, she stood, intending to check on Daniel again.

"How is he, Doc?"

Colonel O'Neill. One look at his face and Janet knew he wouldn't allow her to put him off again. Daniel was his friend, and a member of O'Neill's team: he would hold himself responsible for this even though he couldn't possibly have prevented it.

"This way, Colonel," she said. Leading him to Daniel's bed, she reported, as professionally as she could, his condition. "Daniel's going to live, Colonel. He woke during the night, briefly, but we placed him under sedation. I doubt he could stand the pain if he were conscious."

"How bad is it?"

"Third degree burns to about twenty percent of his body. Extensive second degree burns. All of the burns are on one side of his body: his back. He is also suffering from severe shock and blood loss from internal injuries. Together with the burns, that's very bad; he was dangerously dehydrated. His back is broken. There could be damage to his spinal cord; I won't know how bad that is until a neurologist has examined him..."

"Oh, my god." It was just a whisper.

"He's going to need skin grafts for those burns, which means more surgery, soon. And I'm afraid that's just the beginning." They reached the bed. Daniel lay face down on the bed, monitors surrounding him, wires and tubes linking his body to a multitude of machines. Janet glanced at the monitors with a professional eye: he was stable. "Colonel, do you have any idea how this happened? It might help me to know."

O'Neill shook his head, his eyes on Daniel's still body. "I was through the gate ahead of him. Uh...Daniel was right behind me. We were under fire...he must have caught the edge of a blast from one of those death gliders. That's the only thing I can think of."

"Then he's lucky to be alive," Janet commented.

O'Neill pulled over a chair and sat down beside the bed. "Do you call this lucky, Doc?"

* * *

  


### Next Day

"How are you feeling?" Jack asked. He sounded awkward to Daniel.

"Dumb question," Daniel told him. His voice was hoarse and muffled by the pillow. He felt the same: terrible. He found he was able to smile, just a little, for his friend. "It hurts, Jack. God, it hurts."

"They...um...they're going to move you to a real hospital. Better facilities out there."

"Janet told me."

"Daniel, before you go...there's someone else who wants to visit with you." Jack stepped back to reveal the old man waiting behind him.

He looked very different from the last time Daniel had seen him. Cleis was old, but his eyes shone with vitality. He wore a beard, and his grey hair was long, worn loose down his back. He moved past Jack to sit in the chair. "We haven't formally met," he said, and his voice was a warm, rich baritone. "I'm Cleis."

What else was there to say? "I'm Daniel."

"I owe you my life, Daniel. _Thank you_ seems inadequate."

"Thanks." Daniel looked at him, remembering those last moments... "You were badly hurt..."

"I am Tok'Ra. My symbiot is able to heal me." Cleis glanced at Jack. "I owe you thanks, too, Colonel. I wish we could have saved my data, but I know you tried."

Tok'Ra. Of course he was. Daniel felt he should have realised that earlier. They had spent a few days on that base, but Daniel hadn't seen much of Cleis. The Tok'Ra outpost at Talashim was unusual because a lot of the people living there were human: people the Tok'Ra had rescued from Goa'uld masters, or whose homes had been destroyed by the Goa'uld. There were not many: the Tok'Ra didn't make a practice of helping refugees, but there were enough that Daniel had assumed Cleis was one of them.

Daniel remembered the crate they had all nearly died to save. "What was so important?" he asked, genuinely curious.

Cleis closed his eyes briefly. "My life's work. I doubt you will consider it as important as I do."

"I'd like to know." Daniel saw Jack glance at Cleis impatiently. Jack could be so transparent sometimes: _I doubt you will consider it important_ wasn't the smartest thing for Cleis to have said. 

Cleis nodded. "Not all of the Tok'Ra are what you would call warriors. I am a historian. The data we have lost... It's irreplaceable. The history of the Goa'uld, and the Tok'Ra, our battles. Our allies, strategies...everything. Much of the information is known to others, of course, but the record..." Cleis shook his head slowly. "Well. It serves no one to mourn the loss now." The grief he felt was clear.

"I understand," Daniel said. He remembered what it was like to lose a lifetime of research; though in his case it was his own fault, not a Goa'uld attack. "Jack..." he began.

"Daniel, don't," Jack interrupted. "The whole planet is crawling with Jaffa by now."

"Are you sure? It was an uninhabited world, Jack, except for the Tok'Ra station. Their mission was more likely to be destruction, than occupation."

"What's the point? Whatever was in that crate was destroyed, and you can bet there's nothing left of the base."

Jack was probably right, Daniel knew. But his empathy for Cleis' loss made him push harder. They could at least _try_ to retrieve it. He looked at Cleis again. "Cleis, _if_ we were able to recover your files, would you be willing to share that information with us?"

Cleis nodded at once. "Of course."

"Jack..." Daniel's voice was starting to fade. He tried to clear his throat and started again. "Jack, you heard what he said. That data could be important to us. The more we know about the Goa'uld..."

Jack sighed. "You _must_ be feeling better," he said, with a patient, long-suffering look. "I'll talk to the general. I guess it won't hurt to send a MALP."

Daniel smiled. "Thanks, Jack."

"Colonel." It was Janet's soft voice. "It's time."

* * *

  


### The Second Loss — Two Weeks Later

Jack was on his way to the exit when it happened.

He had finished work for the day: with SG-1 still on stand down his work was fairly routine. He was leaving a little early because he planned to visit Daniel before going home. Two days after the disastrous evacuation, Daniel was transferred to the nearby military hospital. There was a full burns unit in the hospital: he really was better off out there. Just the same, Jack would have preferred to have him in the SGC infirmary, where he could visit anytime.

Jack heard the klaxon blaring, signalling an off-world stargate activation and checked his watch. SG-2 were due back...this would be an hour or so early, but that wasn't so unusual. There was no reason for him to respond to the alarm. Jack stepped into the elevator and determinedly pushed the button for _up_.

It saved his life.

* * *

Jack knocked gently on the open door to Daniel's room. "Is it safe to come in?" he asked. The last time he visited, Daniel had been in a crappy mood and ended up telling Jack to get out.

Daniel looked up with a smile. "I think so," he said. He was sitting up in bed today. He looked happier than he had been.

"How are you doing?"

"The same. It still hurts like hell, but I think I'm getting used to it."

Jack sat down, letting himself relax a little. Whether Daniel's cheer was real or came from the drugs the effect was the same. It was good to see Daniel recovering.

"I talked with the neurologist today," Daniel added.

"And?"

"He said they should be able to repair most of the damage to my back. Enough that I'll be able to walk again, anyway."

So that was the reason he was all smiles. The news made Jack's heart much lighter, too. "That's great news, Daniel!"

"Yes, it is. It's going to take a long time, though." There was an open book lying on the bed beside Daniel; he closed it and placed it on the table beside him. "Did you find someone to take my place on SG-1 yet?"

_Take your place? Daniel Jackson, no one is ever going to take your place._ Jack kept his thoughts to himself. "Uh...sort of. With all the new recruits we're bringing in, I decided to use the vacancy to train some of them. That way your spot will still be open when you're ready to come back."

He expected Daniel to be pleased, but Daniel looked unhappy to hear that.

Daniel avoided Jack's eyes. "I appreciate the thought, Jack. But you have to accept that it's not going to happen."

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about my future. My back is broken, Jack. I don't know if I'll ever walk again, and even if I can, there's almost no chance I'll be fit enough for active duty."

"Don't talk like that, Daniel. You're a fighter. You'll pull through." It sounded to Jack like Daniel was giving up, without even trying. "We've been through worse than this."

Daniel nodded. "You're right. We've been through worse. This time...Jack, I think I've used up my luck. I took a direct hit from a Goa'uld death glider. I almost died. Again."

Jack took a deep breath. "What are you saying, Daniel? You want to leave the SGC?"

Daniel shook his head. "I hope not. Just SG-1." His voice dropped to a whisper as he added, "Sha're is dead. Skaara is home safe. There's no reason for me to be out there now, and after this...I really thought you would understand, Jack."

"I don't. Daniel, you-"

"Colonel O'Neill." The nurse's interruption cut off whatever Jack had been about to say.

Jack looked up impatiently. "Yes."

"There's an urgent call for you from Cheyenne Mountain."

* * *

It would have been nice, Jack thought later, to have had some idea what was about to happen. Like in the movies when the hero somehow just _knows_ the news is bad. Not normally given to such fancies, Jack nevertheless felt there should have been a chill in the air, warning him. Surely something like this shouldn't happen so...so _quietly_.

His head was still full of Daniel's problems when he reached the telephone. "O'Neill here," he said curtly.

"Colonel." He recognised Carter's voice instantly. But she sounded different. Odd.

"What is it, Carter?"

"We have a serious situation here."

That was all he needed to hear. This wasn't a secure line. "I'm on my way," he assured her.

"No, sir!" Carter's voice became a little shrill. "You can't come out here, Colonel. We've had to lock the base down completely."

"What's happened?" Jack glanced around him as he spoke; no one seemed to be listening in.

"SG-2 brought something back with them. Some sort of contagion. Sir, they are all dead. A lot of other people are sick..."

"Hammond?"

"He's been infected, sir. He ordered the lockdown."

If Hammond was sick there would be no one in command out there. Jack had been off the base less than an hour. How could this have happened so quickly? He had to think fast, get the information he needed. Disease would affect anyone human...

"Is Teal'c affected?"

"Yes, sir, he is. Doctor Fraiser thinks he'll recover, but the others..."

"Slow down, Carter. How about Cleis? And yourself?"

"Cleis is fine, sir, he's helping in the infirmary. So far I'm okay."

"Has the Pentagon been informed?"

"I don't know."

"Listen carefully, Carter. You're in command. Get on that red phone and make sure the Joint Chiefs know what's happening. There are four teams still off world. You have to contact them by radio and tell them they can't come home as scheduled. Tell them to rendezvous on...um...P3X-797 and wait for orders. Then try to contact your father and ask him to take care of our people if we don't make it. You got all that?"

"Yes, sir."

"I'll be there as soon as I can. Don't worry, I'll stay on ground level until I get orders from Washington."

"Understood, sir."

Jack hung up the phone. _Oh, shit, shit, shit._ They had narrowly avoided disasters like this before. Perhaps they could do so again. But this was so quick. SG-2...dead. How many others infected? He hadn't asked. And Hammond was out of the picture.

Jack might be stuck in the position of having to order the unthinkable.

He returned to Daniel briefly. "I have to go, Daniel. There's big trouble."

"Bad?"

"The worst," Jack answered honestly. "Look, I might not be able to visit for a while..."

Daniel looked scared. "Jack...am I going to see you again?"

He could always trust Daniel to put both their worst fears into words. Jack didn't know how to answer him. Eventually, he said, "I hope so, Daniel. I hope so."

* * *

  


### Next Day

The isolation suit slowed down Jack's movements a lot, but speed wouldn't be the problem today. He lifted the case of medical supplies and signalled to the two doctors who would accompany him. Apprehensive, to say the least, the three men headed into Cheyenne Mountain.

It had been a long night. Jack stayed in touch with the base by phone, and the news just kept getting worse and worse. Carter was holding it together well, and so far she wasn't sick. But that was the only good news. All four members of SG-2 had become ill within minutes of their return. None of them had been able to explain the illness: they had encountered nothing that could be considered a risk. The contagion had spread rapidly, much faster than anything natural could spread. In less than sixteen hours, the death toll was devastating.

The mountain was eerily quiet: all personnel having been evacuated from the upper levels (they could be confident no one there had been exposed). It was like walking through a ghost town. Finally, they reached the SGC. The elevator doors opened and Jack saw Carter waiting for them. She looked exhausted, pale and drawn. Jack laid down the case he carried and held out his arms to her, for once not giving a damn if it were inappropriate. He felt her shaking through the thick suit he wore as she returned his hug.

"Report, Major."

"We've converted all of level twenty two into an infirmary, and we're using twenty one as a morgue. Jan...Doctor Fraiser is beginning to make progress with the infection, but she's started to get sick herself. We got a radio message from Colonel Makepeace; all of the off-world teams are on P3X-797 awaiting your orders."

"You'd better take us to Doc Fraiser," Jack suggested.

From ghost town to plague city. Level twenty two was a nightmare.

Janet Fraiser looked terrible; Jack was glad Carter had warned him. She looked tired more than anything, but the kind of tired that comes after weeks or months, not overnight.

"Are you okay, Doc?" he asked her gently.

She nodded. "I'm doing better than most, Colonel."

"Well enough to report?"

"Of course." She straightened up, visibly pushing her fatigue aside. "What we have here is a viral infection that seems to be both airborne and spread through direct contact. There's a slim possibility that this is of natural origin, some alien virus we simply have no resistance to, but I've been proceeding on the assumption that it's an engineered virus targeted to human DNA. By treating the symptoms we have been able to slow the progress of the disease, and I've been experimenting on myself with a compound I believe will help."

Jack didn't like the sound of that. "Doc, with all due respect, you don't look like it's helping."

"I don't know, Colonel. My bloodwork looks good, but I think time is running out. Ordinarily something like this takes years of research."

"I understand. You'll have some help now: I brought a couple of doctors with me. And the supplies you requested."

Jack left Fraiser to talk to the doctors. He would be of no help to them. There was one thing he could do to help, though: he ordered Carter to get some sleep.

"A wise choice," Cleis commented, having overheard.

"Come with me," Jack told him, leading Cleis into the corridor where they could talk in relative privacy. "Does this thing come from the Goa'uld?"

"The evidence suggests it," Cleis confirmed. "I have not been affected by this disease, neither has Major Carter. Others appear to have some natural resistance, but we are the only two who have escaped entirely. I suspect because we both have quantities of naquadah in our blood."

"Can we use that? Inject everyone with naquadah, maybe?"

Cleis shook his head. "Even if you had enough, Colonel, I don't have the equipment here I would need. The only naquadah you have is in solid form. It would have to be processed into a liquid and treated in complex ways..."

_Yadda, yadda, yadda._ "Cleis, I don't have time for a biology lesson. What do you need?"

"Nothing you have on Earth. If you would allow me to return to Vorash..."

"No. I'm sorry, Cleis. A lockdown means nobody leaves. Nobody."

"Colonel, there is no danger that I would carry this disease elsewhere, and I could return with real answers."

"No. There are no exceptions, Cleis. What else do you have?"

"Doctor Fraiser and I have made some progress on what may be a cure. It will be a few days before we are certain."

"_Days?_ In a few days everyone will be dead!"

"No, Colonel. What progress we have made is in slowing the disease. We hope that if we can slow it enough, the body's natural ability to heal will take over. If just one person recovers, we'll have a start toward creating a cure, and a vaccine. But that process cannot be rushed."

"I'm sorry. This is all just..."

"We have lost many lives, Colonel, but with luck, we won't lose more."

Jack left Cleis to his work and headed to level twenty one. The morgue. Still and silent. Jack walked the corridors slowly, pondering the report he had to make.

So many dead in such a short time. Dead bodies draped in blue cloth. Some morbid impulse made him pull the sheet back from one of them and he recognised the young lieutenant who would have joined SG-1 in a few days.

This was too much. Too high a price to pay.

* * *

  


### Night

Daniel heard the knock and glanced to the door. He felt his heart leap when he saw Jack there. "Jack! God, I've been so worried!" He studied his friend's face. "You look like hell."

"I feel like hell." Jack sat down. "I can't stay long; I've got to get some sleep. But I wanted to come...Daniel, I have some bad news."

"That emergency?" _The worst_, Jack had said, leading Daniel to imagine all sorts of horrors.

Jack nodded. "A team returned to Earth infected with some disease. It spread like wildfire. They locked down the base...but that locked the disease inside."

Daniel's mouth was dry. "How bad is it?" he asked, afraid of the answer.

Jack sighed heavily. "Hammond's dead. Carter and Teal'c are okay, but...we lost nearly half the base."

"My god. Jack..." Daniel swallowed past the constriction in his throat. "I don't know what to say."

"Nothing to say. I had to go down there today...don't panic, I was in full HazMat gear and they put me though about three hours of decontam when I came out. I'm safe." Jack broke off.

Daniel said nothing.

"It was horrible down there. This thing doesn't leave any mark on the outside, but inside...god, I don't...I can't..."

"It's okay, Jack. I don't need to hear it." The words sounded ridiculous, even as he said them.

"Okay?" Jack repeated. "It's a long way from okay, Daniel. Do you know why I went down there today?"

Daniel could think of a lot of possible reasons. "I know you feel responsible for those people," he offered tentatively.

"The brass wanted a recommendation from me. Whether to let this go on or cauterise the facility."

"Cauterise? You mean..."

"I mean destroy the whole thing, along with everyone in it." Jack pushed a hand through his hair. "We have to consider it, Daniel. This disease spread so fast. If it got out of the SGC...well, you can fill in the blanks."

Daniel could. They were talking about an unstoppable plague. Something that had the potential to cast the world back to the Dark Ages. "The Goa'uld?" he asked.

"That's our guess. There are other possibilities, and right now it doesn't matter where it came from."

"What...what did you recommend?" Daniel was almost afraid to ask.

"They seem to be getting control of it. I think they deserve that chance. But I only managed to buy a couple of days. If there's no progress by then..."

If there was no progress, Jack would have to give the order to kill all those people. The conclusion remained unspoken, but both men knew it. Daniel felt numb, unable to take all this in. SG-2, dead. General Hammond, dead. Janet...he didn't want to know. He didn't want to hear she was alive when this still hung over them like Damocles' sword. Daniel's own problems suddenly seemed unimportant.

He reached out for Jack's hand. "Let it out, Jack. You'll be no good to them until you do."

When Jack raised his eyes, Daniel saw all the pain and frustration he had been holding in. "Daniel..." Jack whispered. Nothing more.

No more need be said.


	2. Dust To Dust

### A Month Later

The park across the street from the hospital was full of children, dogs and dawdling parents. A pleasant scene embellished by the sounds of their play coming through the open window, but Jack didn't see it, didn't hear it. The children on his mind were Tessa and Kayla, Hammond's two grandchildren. He couldn't get their sad faces out of his mind's eye. The mournful Taps played in his mind, bringing with it the echoes of older losses, other painful memorials. Kawalsky, for one. Further back and still his deepest pain; his son, Charlie. Others from various missions, some on Earth, some not. Just two days before Jack had been at Sgt. Davis' memorial service. He'd been on duty in the control room when SG-2 came through, bringing the terrible contagion with them and was one of the first on the base, after them, to fall victim.

In fact only four people on the base when SG-2 came home had managed to avoid the plague altogether. Jack was the first; his determination to visit Daniel saved his life. Second was Cleis, who, being Tok'Ra, was immune to most disease. Third, Carter, who somehow escaped infection entirely. They were going with Cleis' theory that the naqadah in her blood made her immune to the contagion, but no one understood how that worked yet. Lastly, Sgt. Siler, who as luck would have it had been fully suited up in radiation-proof gear at the time Hammond ordered the base lockdown. He'd been dealing with a chemical drum rupture in one of the storage areas and the suit was more than enough protection against exposure to the disease. He'd kept the suit on for nearly a week before he could be cleared and allowed to leave the base. By then some of the victims were beginning to recover.

Siler was at the memorials for both Davis and Hammond that day and though Jack meant to speak to him Siler had seemed barely able to speak. Jack knew the majority of the base's surviving personnel were in counselling — which was no surprise considering what they'd all been through.

Jack tugged angrily at his tie and top shirt button, suddenly feeling like he was suffocating. He pushed the window open wider, hoping the noise coming from the park would drown out the nightmare crushing him.

If hundreds of deaths weren't enough trouble, now he had an angry Thor on his back — and he could be quite scary for a little guy. Having a Tok'Ra, Cleis, on the base when the plague struck was lucky. Cleis was able to provide them with proof that the Goa'uld created the plague; that allowed Jack to contact the Asgard for help. Under their Protected Planets Treaty, the Asgard were supposed to help defend Earth against a Goa'uld attack; this certainly qualified, so Jack did not anticipate problems. But instead of a smooth negotiation, Thor showed up accusing the SGC of stealing Asgard technology from other protected worlds. What's more, the little guy had evidence even Jack couldn't deny.

He didn't know what to think. Was it possible Hammond had been involved in this behind his back? No way to ask him anymore, but Jack couldn't believe that of his former CO. Not a chance. He'd cut a deal with the Asgard, but it involved his guarantee he would get to the bottom of this in exchange for their help. One more problem to add to his growing burden.

Damn it, how much longer? Jack looked at his watch for the tenth time in as many minutes.

Daniel spent ninety minutes at a time in the hyperbaric chamber, receiving pure oxygen to help with healing his skin grafts, but for some reason Jack felt like he'd been in there forever. Probably because he'd only just gone in when Jack arrived at the hospital, this time. Jack wasn't good at waiting.

He knew Fraiser would have him banned from the hospital if she had any idea how he was feeling right now, and with any other two patients she might have been right to do it. He and Daniel were a far different case, though. No matter what was said between them, or why, they both relaxed in each other's presence in a way they did with no one else. Chalk and cheese, but such _equal_ chalk and cheese. Daniel certainly wasn't the type Jack would have pegged as his best friend: when they first met he was just this annoying geek who sneezed too much and didn't have the first clue how to behave on a military base. How could a guy fluent in over twenty three languages be so completely oblivious to the meaning of certain common English words? Words like: now, orders, no and shut-the-hell-up!

Jack found himself smiling a little. Daniel's insubordination could be useful at times. Like when Jack somehow got the knowledge of the Ancients stuck in his head and Daniel flatly refused to leave his side. Oh, boy, had Jack needed Daniel's help then! He was the only one who understood Jack, even when he'd been past the point of communicating even in Ancient.

Dwelling on that time led Jack almost inevitably to an older memory; not much older, this one: a storage room on the infirmary level of the SGC and a mindblowing breakthrough in understanding, at gunpoint. The others hadn't anticipated the violent reaction to Daniel's clearing mind. Nor had Jack at the time, none of them could. This was the result of the Goa'uld sarcophagus, for crying out loud. Nevertheless, the fight between them that ended with Jack looking down the barrel of Daniel's gun hadn't led Jack up the path that the crazed archaeologist seemed to have intended. Jack looked past the gun and suddenly saw a man surrounded by unbearable guilt. One way or another he was begging for it to end. Wanting to die, needing to be forgiven. And Jack remembered how he'd been over Charlie, sitting in the dead child's room for days on end, caressing the gun that killed him like a lover. And he remembered how Daniel helped him realise that living was better than dying, then kept proving it to him, over and over, by refusing to accept the death that kept coming his way.

Yeah…this was a much nicer memory. Jack mentally tagged it and put it in the top of his mental 'pending' tray for retrieval at a moment's notice. Just in case he needed it to back him up against bulldog Fraiser. Yes, you never know when you might need…

"Colonel? Colonel O'Neill!"

Wha- Speak of the devil… "Doc?" He straightened up quickly. See. I'm awake. "Colonel, Daniel is back from his treatment now. You can go in and see him for ten minutes." Fraiser was looking a lot better, her hair tied back, her make-up perfect. She still looked a little tired, but you'd never guess she had been dying of an alien disease a couple of weeks ago. All of which was good news…great news. But she could be a pain in the ass when she got protective of her patients.

"_Ten minutes_!" Jack protested as he stood.

"Ten minutes," she repeated firmly. "This last treatment seems to have taken more out of him than usual, Colonel. He needs to rest. Besides, the last time you were here, so I'm told, the two of you got into a shouting match that sent the nurse's blood pressure through the roof, never mind Daniel's."

"Yeah, because you wouldn't let him out of hock to go to Hammond's funeral! Which, by the way, I've just come from."

"I know, Colonel, as I wasn't able to attend either. Daniel is very far from being able to leave this hospital, let alone put himself through such a stressful experience."

Jack shook his head, falling into step beside her. "See, that's where you don't get Daniel," he tried to explain, knowing it would probably be a snowy day in hell if she did. "He's like me that way. You're stressing him out worse by denying him — "

"Jack!?" Daniel's voice reached them.

…Which proved Jack's point quite nicely, thank you. "See?" he said to Fraiser. "He just wants me to get my butt in there and spend three hours playing chess with him. Hell, you can't hardly set up the board in ten minutes!"

Striding on past the doc, Jack hurried into Daniel's room and threw his cap and tie onto the chair by the window, forgotten already. Fraiser followed him into the room as he retrieved the chess board from the locker beside Daniel's bed and began to set it up. He gave Daniel a long look, concerned. Usually Daniel came back from the oxygen chamber looking refreshed and healthier. Not today. Today he seemed irritable and tired. Jack reached over and touched Daniel on the shoulder — very lightly — without thinking about it. Just a quick touch to anchor him.

It did the trick and Daniel heaved a sigh, the release of tension visible in his face and body.

"Getting boring, huh?" Jack guessed.

A small nod and roll of Daniel's eyes confirmed Jack's suspicion.

"Well, that's good and bad, you know. On one hand it means — "

"I know, I know. I'm getting better. But you know what a low boredom threshold I've got."

"Mm-hm, almost as low as mine. Now, where were we last time?"

Daniel looked puzzled. "I thought…"

"You fell asleep."

"Oh, did I? Sorry. I just woke up out of sorts this morning and I can't catch up. You know?"

Jack patted his shoulder again. "I know. Been there, done that, used the T-shirt for a dishrag." He gave a rueful half-smile.

"Daniel…" Fraiser said warningly.

Oh. Yeah. They'd both forgotten about the doctor. Still there, her arms crossed, all but tapping her tiny toes. Daniel was, apparently, way past doing the eyelash-batting-lip-biting-please-feel-sorry-for-me routine because he just launched into one of his Daniel-esque-logic verbal attacks. He tended to reserve them for people he didn't like, such as scientists and politicians who ought to be old enough to know better, which told Jack a lot about how frustrated Daniel was feeling. Jack had to turn away, pretending to look out of the window, as Daniel wound up to the really good part…

"…and, yes, he gets my goat better than anyone else I know but I know it's because he knows me better than anyone else and besides I give as good as I get! If you won't let me spend time with my friends you might as well put me in the coffin and nail — "

"Daniel, that's enough! You've made your point."

The two of them glared at each other for a few moments before Fraiser signalled her reluctant capitulation with a deep and frustrated sigh. "Fine. You want to commit hara-kiri by Jack O'Neill that's absolutely your affair. I'm washing my hands of this particular vice."

"Thank you," Daniel sighed.

Fraiser turned to Jack and fixed him with a glare like a missile launcher. "Colonel, I'm holding you personally responsible for Doctor Jackson's well-being while he's in this hospital and you're in his presence."

"Oh. Sure thing, doc."

The flash of her eyes as she left the two men alone threatened revenge of biblical proportions at Jack's next medical, but he couldn't help grinning. Finally!

Now, where were they? Oh, yeah. Halfway through a previous chess game. Or not.

"I think she's sweet on ya, Daniel."

And a blush was the last reaction Jack expected from his friend. Huh, maybe it was mutual. However, the black sparks flaring from Daniel's eyes told him to leave that subject alone if he didn't want a face full of bedpan, spinal injuries, skin grafts or no. Jack shrugged and sat down at the bedside, opening the box of chessmen. "So, you wanna…?"

Daniel took a moment to remember what they'd been talking about before Fraiser interrupted them, then nodded, flipping a hand to indicate starting fresh would be good.

"You gonna be able to sit for a while?"

Daniel nodded, looking a little happier at the thought. It meant he was nearer to being able to get out of the bed and move around a little. The breathable support he had stacked around him was a godsend and he'd been able to look out of the window for a few days now. Jack knew that the temptation of actually being able to get out there would help to keep Daniel from getting too depressed. A bored Daniel might start behaving in a way that would earn him some killer bedbaths from the nursing crew (and not in a good way!). Jack knew from experience that there was no one more able to cause acute embarrassment than a nurse who was good and pissed at you…

They made their opening moves in silence, each of them concentrating on strategy. Finally, setting one of his bishops in a seemingly innocuous position, Daniel broached the other side of the conversation coin that had occupied Jack's visits. Getting Jack to talk helped Daniel take his mind off his boredom, but Jack was grateful for the support. He needed it lately, though, like Daniel, he would have died before admitting it out loud.

"So. Well attended?"

Jack knew without having to ask that Daniel was referring to Hammond's funeral service. "Oh, yeah. Yeah, we did him proud."

"I wish I could have been there. Especially for the general. I'm convinced he gave me leeway that wouldn't have been granted by any other general. I'm really sorry he's gone. I miss him."

"You're not the only one, Daniel. Everyone from the SGC who was there was in tears before they even started folding the flag. Could have done with you writing my speech, though. It felt…flat. You would've done better."

"Maybe." Daniel's calm sympathy was okay. It didn't irk or patronise. Jack moved a rook out into the open.

His opponent pursed his lips. "Hmm."

"Hmm?" What was wrong with that — oh, damn, where had Daniel got that pawn from? Looking up, Jack caught Daniel trying to bite back a smile.

"It was sitting right there, Jack."

"Yeah, yeah." Jack moved a pawn up next to Daniel's bishop. Daniel just smiled. Got that one covered, huh? Damn…

Usually, when they played chess on Jack's visits, whatever was bothering them both was submerged beneath the concentration of play and the relaxation of their unique companionship. Not today. George's death was sitting heavily on Jack. The future of the SGC was in the hands of the top brass and the politicians right now and knowing that bastard Kinsey would see this as the perfect opportunity to swoop kept Jack almost permanently on-edge. He had no one he trusted to keep him informed about the manoeuvrings in the background. There was only Major Davis, their Pentagon liaison and he only ever showed up to bring them bad news. Jack hadn't heard anything from him on the state of play, which he supposed was good news, but on the other hand he hated not knowing.

It wasn't only the uncertainty that gnawed at Jack's nerves, of course. The loss of his commander just felt wrong. George Hammond was supposed to retire to a comfortable, happy ten or twenty years with his daughter and his grandkids and die in his bed. Not get taken out at the knees by an alien contagion along with half of the SGC's personnel. Painfully, horribly. Jack was still haunted by the images that assaulted him when he'd entered the base during the emergency. Daniel was the only one with whom he'd been able to broach that subject and even then, he would rather have had a root canal. It was talk to Daniel, or go into therapy, though and considering how useless that had always been for him Jack picked Daniel.

"Jack? You gonna make a move some time this week?"

"Huh?" Damn. Drifted off again. Jack moved his queen without really thinking about it. "Sorry, Daniel. It's just everything right now. All these damned memorial services are getting me down and I've no idea what's going on in Washington. I just hate the not-knowing."

"I know, and I wouldn't move your queen there if I were you…"

Jack snatched the queen back, seeing the too-obvious trap and smirked like he knew what he was doing. Daniel obviously wasn't fooled but he said nothing while Jack decided where he could put the queen. He settled for a corner square, where she could cover his king and stay out of the way of Daniel's knight.

"So…who was there?"

Jack glared at Daniel once he realised what he was asking, but he didn't retaliate. The endless memorial services that he had no choice but to attend were grating on Jack's nerves, but having no option but to miss them must be just as hard on Daniel. Jack's gaze retreated from the man in the bed and was drawn over to the window again. Leaning back in his chair, he made for a deliberate pause in their game. Daniel leaned back a little further into his support, sighing gratefully as the pillows at his back took the weight of his head. Maybe Daniel hadn't realised it but Jack noticed he'd actually been supporting himself a little there. More progress…

"Carter was there. Teal'c, Siler, a couple of political bigwigs…about another forty people. Anna, Tessa and Kayla, of course. They took it well, considering…" Jack drifted off again, the sad faces swimming before his mind's eye once more. Not one of the families could be told why their loved ones were dead. None of them even had an actual body to bury. They deserved that, at least, but it was too dangerous. Jack forced his gaze back to the board, trying to pick up the game again, but it was no good. His concentration was shot and he found himself twitching up out of his chair and moving restlessly to the window. "Damn it, Daniel, it's like their all lost and they're all looking at me to get them home and…"

"And you're just as lost as they are. More. You've got no one to look to for answers."

Trust Daniel to find exactly the right words. "I've got nothing for them, Daniel. My life was gonna be _Johnny-in-the-field_ and go out biting on a sniper round. I didn't exactly excel at flying a desk. Tell you the truth, I never even took the simulator test."

Daniel snorted, then flinched as he got caught by a muscle spasm. Jack bit back a comment, knowing that Daniel wouldn't accept sympathy and changed the subject again, casting around for something a little more hopeful.

"So, do you know yet? When they're gonna spring you?"

"It depends, they tell me."

"On?"

"Well, my progress, obviously. How long it takes for the grafts to settle, how soon I can get about without too much pain and too much risk of damaging something again. You know…"

"Actually," Fraiser's voice came from the doorway, "if you keep up this rate of recovery, we can talk about discharging you toward the end of next week." Fraiser stood in the open doorway with an armful of files and a tired smile. "You have a long way to go, Daniel, but as long as you have someone to help you, you should be able to manage in a wheelchair for a while."

"For a while?" Jack repeated. "Until what, Doc?" The last he'd heard, they expected Daniel to be out of action for at least a year.

"Until he's ready for surgery on his spine," Fraiser clarified. "It'll probably take more than one operation but we can't go ahead until his burns have healed a lot more. The skin grafts are only the first stage."

Jack nodded, understanding. "Right. But until then…"

"Another ten days and I think he'll be free of that bed and this room."

Jack grinned. "Sweet. Looks like we'll be roomies for a while, Daniel."

"Jack?" Daniel sounded startled.

Jack and Daniel had not discussed what would happen to Daniel after he left the hospital — the first time the subject came up Jack told him firmly to worry about getting better and he would work something out. At the time, Daniel had been happy to let Jack do just that. Now he had that suspicious look that told Jack he wanted to know exactly what Jack thought he'd worked out, and how much he was going to hate it.

"I've widened a coupla doors, put in a ramp or two, rejigged the bathroom suite, some kitchen stuff," Jack revealed. "That's all." See, no biggie.

Now Daniel was looking at him over his glasses, his mouth open, right on the verge of saying something. Jack waited for some kind of explosion. There was no reason for it; Daniel had known for a while that he would need to live with someone, for at least a while. Nevertheless, Jack was expecting the worst and it looked like that was what he was going to get.

"At your house?" Daniel said finally.

Okay, maybe Daniel was building up to the main event. After so many weeks of pain and outright fear that he might never really recover from this, Jack figured he was entitled.

"Yeah. I told you I'd get it done."

For some reason, Daniel looked puzzled for a moment. "Um…yeah…I guess you did…"

"It's okay, Daniel, don't frazzle your brain over it. You were a bit preoccupied at the time." Something twanged just a little hard inside Jack at the thought that Daniel would be surprised by this. How could he think Jack wouldn't do whatever was necessary to help him out? It must have shown on Jack's face because Daniel was quick to try to explain.

"I… It's just been overwhelming for a while and I guess I just didn't think about this. Thank you seems a bit inadequate."

"Yeah, well, don't celebrate just yet. I've only got one TV, ya know."

"Oh, that's okay. I don't watch much TV anyway."

* * *

The new motorised wheelchair was great. For the first time Daniel could get around, move from place to place under his own steam and it was a wonderful taste of freedom. The pain remained as his back was very far from well and he could only use the chair for short periods. Nevertheless it transformed the quality of his life completely; and there were many other changes underway. Daniel was moving in with Jack today, as soon as Janet formally discharged him from the hospital.

He was taking a tour around the hospital grounds, ostensibly to practice with the wheelchair, in fact to say goodbye to the greenery which had become a wonderful relief from the unrelenting boredom of his hospital room. Teal'c was with him in case he tired too much. Coming to rest on a raised patio in the southern corner of the grounds, Daniel reached up to the low-hanging branch of a young quaking aspen.

"_Populous tremuloides_," he told Teal'c, whose latest project to acquaint himself with the planet of the Tau'ri was learning all the North American trees.

"Indeed," replied Teal'c, sitting on a bench alongside Daniel's wheelchair. "Not yet full grown."

"No. It's beautiful, isn't it?"

Teal'c nodded in response.

"And it doesn't move a centimetre. Well, except in the wind, of course. And I don't suppose it's unhappy."

Teal'c cocked an eyebrow at Daniel but said nothing.

Daniel snorted, laughing at himself. "I know, I know. But why can't mankind be happy to just stay in one place? Including me, I suppose. No more war, no more disruption, no more endless waste…just endless boredom," he concluded, answering his own question. He sighed and pulled a face as he sought to sit more comfortably in the chair.

"Daniel Jackson, do you require rest?" Teal'c rose from the bench and moved to the back of the wheelchair.

"Uh…yeah, I think so. Thanks, Teal'c."

Resting his large hands on the back grips, Teal'c began to push the wheelchair back toward the hospital building. "Are you not looking forward to taking up residence with O'Neill?" he asked.

"Oh, yeah, believe me I can't tell you how much," Daniel answered eagerly, his face becoming animated with a smile once more. "Have you seen the place since he did all the changes? Has he had to do much?"

If Daniel could have seen the look on his friend and comrade's face, he would have been doubly sure that Teal'c was perfectly well aware of why Daniel was asking the question. As it was, he could hear it in the gently remonstrative tone of Teal'c's rich baritone:

"Not as much as you may imagine, Daniel Jackson." The kindness with which Teal'c offered those words told Daniel that the Jaffa understood him perfectly. It was an old habit for Daniel to feel guilty that someone should go to so much trouble for him. Nevertheless, he could hear Jack in his head: _Oh, for cryin' out loud, stop that!_ The internal voice added to Teal'c's made Daniel laugh at himself.

"Well, okay then. Anyway, freedom at last. If Jack digs that old office chair of his from the junk in the basement, we can have wheelie races in his back yard." Daniel didn't need to look at Teal'c to be sure that expressive right eyebrow was heading skywards again.

It was good to have friends.

* * *

"So, what d'you think?"

Daniel looked around the living area and found himself speechless. He expected the ramps and maybe a little furniture moving but this…

Everything was new. The couch, the armchair, the easily-retracting coffee table — everything. All to make room for Daniel and his wheelchair to get around the place. He didn't want to think about what this must have cost Jack, but he had to because if it came out of Jack's savings then Daniel owed him, big time. And he hadn't even seen the rest of the house yet.

"Hey, that wasn't supposed to be a stumper. Don't you like it?"

"Jack…" Daniel looked up at his friend; it felt weird to have to do that — they were almost the same height. "I don't know what to say. I wasn't expecting all this. It's going to make it so easy to get around here…" He felt tears threaten his eyes and a tightness in his chest. Jack tried for a sympathetic smile but it came out a little awkward. Damn it, Daniel hadn't meant for him to see that. _No more tears, Jackson. C'mon. This is a good thing, not something to get twisted up over._

"You haven't seen the rest of it, yet, so…"

"There's more?"

"All in good time, Doctor Jackson. Coffee?"

Coffee would be amazingly good, and it would give him time to process how he felt about this. Daniel put a smile on his face. "Yes. Please…"

Now Jack was grinning back and he headed for the kitchen.

From his wheelchair in the living room, Daniel could see that the dresser in the dining room was no longer visible through the room divide. "Jack?"

Jack's head appeared in the kitchen doorway. "Yeah? Y'okay? Need something?"

"No, no. It's just that…you changed the dining room?"

"Well…yeah. Just doing a bit of rearranging. Generally speaking." Jack reappeared with a mug of coffee for Daniel and a beer for himself. "Want a game of chess?"

"You expecting to beat me?"

"Maybe. Yeah." Jack had that eyebrow lift and tilted chin that said he was teasing.

Daniel teased back in kind. Fixing Jack with a stare that expressed an almost patronising disbelief, he rolled up his sleeves and manoeuvred the wheelchair over to the table where the chess board was set up. "Let's see what you've got, flyboy."

"Don't tire yourself out there, rock boy."

"Don't turn any more hair grey on my account, Jack."

"Well, you don't have to drive home after, anyway."

"Hmm." Daniel let his upper body relax more into the back support of the chair. He let himself think about that. He hadn't lived with anyone for a long time. Not since Abydos, really. Sha're and her people.

Jack claimed the white pieces and made his opening move. "Daniel, are you going to be okay with this? I mean, you lived here when you came back from Abydos but I know you've been on your own for a while, and…"

"Jack, don't…do that. It's okay. Better than okay. You and Sam and Teal'c, you're my family. Don't get me wrong, I'm not thrilled about losing my independence, but…I've had an awful lot of it in my life and…truthfully, I kinda miss this." Daniel shook his head, thinking that maybe this was sounding a little childish and wondering vaguely what was in his medication that made him say this stuff out loud. But it was true enough: there had been many times since he'd known Jack O'Neill when he'd found himself thinking: _Where were you when I needed an older brother?_ "It's kinda comforting to know there's someone else just down the hall," he added. Which reminded him… "Um…where's my bed? Oh! Is that why you've changed the dining room? I get the dining room?" He remembered seeing the ramp on the decking outside that led up to the dining room doors. That could be a great way to start the day in summer: straight out to the garden at the back of the house. Cool!

Jack shook his head. "No."

"No?" But Daniel knew he couldn't be in Jack's guest bedroom: it was at the top of the house and there were too many steps for a ramp.

"No," Jack confirmed. "Are you kidding me? There's hardly enough room in there for the bed, let alone all that special equipment. No, you're downthehall."

"Excuse me? Where…did you say?"

Jack glared at him for making him say it again properly. "Down. The. Hall."

"That's what I thought you said." The master bedroom. Jack's bedroom.

Being caught in generosity seemed to make Jack uncomfortable. He covered by finishing his beer.

"So…you're moving into the dining room?"

Jack just shrugged. "I don't need the space. I've got a chest of drawers and my mom's old armoire in there."

"Thanks, Jack."

They shared a look; no words, just a silent affirmation of the solid, deep friendship they shared.

Jack hmm-ed, looking around the room for no particular reason.

Daniel coughed and took far too much interest in the dregs of his coffee. Then he turned back to the chess board. "So. That's um…that."

"Ah…yeah. Pizza?"

Junk food and beer: the O'Neill version of the perfect evening. Daniel answered, "I'm not supposed to…"

"One of those healthier-than-a-gazelle meals Fraiser filled my freezer with, then." Jack's tone was scathing; his whole demeanour expressed the kind of disgust Daniel normally associated with something you'd scrape off your shoe. He couldn't keep back a chuckle at Jack's reaction to Janet's idea of convalescent food. However…

"Well, I guess one pizza won't hurt," he conceded. He would have joined Jack in a beer, just to express solidarity, but that would seriously argue with his current medication.

Jack practically leaped over to the phone. "Sweet. Usual?"

"Well…maybe I'd better have veg. Um…not too much drippy cheese. And — "

"Damn it, Daniel, you might as well have one of those gazelle meals!"

"Oh. Whatever, then. I'm not fighting you tonight; I'm too happy."

Jack looked back at him and his smile came back and he shook his head fondly. "Whatever you want, Daniel. I'm just glad you're…ya know."

Still around. Not one of the bodies cremated off-world like Hammond and Ferretti and Davis, and so many others. Not still flat on his front and in agony despite the full-strength painkillers. Not where he had been a month or so ago. Mobile and out of the hospital? Yeah, Daniel could definitely live with that. He returned the smile thoughtfully.

Jack added, "I mean, I know you've still got a ways to go. Quite a ways. But it's better than…"

"Oh, definitely better. Um…yeah, that reminds me."

"Of?"

"Why hasn't Cleis…I mean, I don't blame him for anything. It's not his fault I'm…" Cleis had promised to visit Daniel and he hadn't; Daniel felt a little guilty for not asking earlier. He hoped nothing had happened to him.

"He's still at the SGC. Cleis found proof that the plague was a Goa'uld concoction, and that let us call the Asgard for help. He's working with them now to get us a vaccine or something. I don't know if I can get permission for him to leave the base, though."

"That's okay, Jack, I'll be back in work soon and I can see him then. If he's still here."

A vaccine. That made sense, but it also made Daniel realise how much he had missed at the SGC. Were they even still operational?

Everything was changing, wasn't it?


	3. The 'I' In Team

Jack sat down on the park bench. He checked his watch. He was exactly on time. He waited.

A few minutes later it began to rain. Jack pulled the hood of his coat up and waited.

He had been waiting for twenty two minutes when a man in a jogging suit and sneakers came by and sat beside him. Jack sneaked another glance at his watch. Twenty two minutes precisely. Some people never change. He waited some more.

Carl Miller was a former USAF Captain who served with Jack in special ops, many years before. There was a particularly unpleasant mission which the politicians of the day somehow _got involved_ with, and when it went bad Miller took the fall for the screw up. He escaped a jail term, but was dishonourably discharged after court martial. Most people would have gotten on with their lives at that point. Miller refused to let it go. He managed to get the truth on record, clearing his name in certain inner circles, if not officially. Then he left the country. He lived in Europe now, building security systems for Swiss banks and French casinos and freelancing for Interpol once in a while.

Miller was the man Jack needed to solve his biggest problem at the SGC.

After a time, the other man spoke. "Just tell me one thing," he said conversationally.

"What's that?"

"How in god's name did you get the presidential seal on that letter?"

"I asked the President." Jack turned at last toward his companion. Miller was a few years older, a little greyer, but still the man he remembered. "I didn't think you'd come for anything less," he added by way of explanation.

Miller shook his head. "What could possibly be so important you could just call the White House? And, if it's that important, why in hell d'you need me? You could get anyone in the world with that amount of clout."

Jack nodded slightly. Miller wasn't slow. "That's right. I could."

Definitely not slow. Jack saw Miller's blue eyes widen as the message got through. "Okay. You got me interested. Talk."

"My C.O. died a couple of weeks ago, along with half the men and women on our team. I'm picking up the pieces while the brass find a new General to take over. I just discovered we've got a traitor in our ranks."

"Bad news," Miller commented.

"Could be worse than I know. I have no idea how far up the chain this goes."

"You suspect your C.O.?"

Jack shook his head, no. "I'd be a fool to deny the possibility, Carl. But dead men make sweet scapegoats. What I want is the _truth_. Wherever it leads."

"What's your plan?"

"Bring you into the project. You'll be a civilian specialist in charge of base security; truth is I really can use a man with your surveillance expertise. You'll have clearance equal to mine, and whatever else you need to track this thing down. You report only to me."

Miller was silent for a moment. Jack gave him the time.

"What if I say no?"

Jack sighed. "Like you said, I can get someone else. But you're the one I trust, Carl. I need a man who will follow this trail, no matter what. A man who won't give up and who'll tell me the truth to my face, even if it turns out my best friend is the guilty one. That's you."

"What's the catch?"

"No catch." The rain was starting to soak through Jack's coat.

"Sure, and I'm Santa Claus."

"Gee, Santa, what happened to the new bike you promised me? I thought we had a deal."

But Miller wasn't buying the humour. "No deal, Colonel."

_Oh, for cryin'…_ "Carl, there are things I'm not telling. This is a classified project; I can't talk until you agree to take the job. Say you'll do it and I'll give you the grand tour tomorrow." He looked out over the rain-grey park. "This project…it's the greatest adventure of your life, Carl. It's dangerous — I won't try to hide that — but it's worth it. Trust me on this."

"Where's the base?"

"Classified."

Miller started to stand up. "Then we're done. Thanks for the plane ticket, man."

"Okay. But you're gonna have to take my word for it because I can't prove it until you sign on the dotted line. _Comprendez_?"

"Got it."

Jack looked up at the cloudy sky. There were no stars visible, but he thought Miller would get the message. "The base…it's nowhere on this Earth, Carl."

* * *

"Damn it!"

For the second time in five minutes, Daniel swore as a plate slipped through his fingers to smash on the kitchen floor. Taking a deep breath, he blew it out in a huge sigh. He looked at his watch again. Jack was late. Two hours late and the last time Daniel called the base he'd been told Jack was still in a meeting.

Sighing again, Daniel rolled his wheelchair over to the broom closet for the long-handled brush and pan to clear up the broken plate. He was getting quite skilled at handling them from his chair. With only half of the broken pieces in the pan, Daniel stopped suddenly, caught by the sound of Jack's truck pulling up in the wet driveway. He felt the tension he'd been carrying in his back and shoulders release and leaned back in his chair, suddenly tired beyond measure. The front door opened and he heard Jack's footsteps on the hall floor as he came in. At last!

"Jack!"

No answer.

"Jack!"

Still no answer. Finally he heard footsteps in the hall again. They sounded tired. Slow and kinda sloppy. When Jack appeared in the doorway, three fingers of something in a shot glass in his hand, Jack _looked_ tired. And wet. And distinctly closed off.

Daniel frowned. "What's up, Jack?"

Jack shook his head dismissively. "Long day, that's all."

"I broke a couple of plates. Sorry. I keep forgetting to leave it a while before I unload it."

Jack sighed but laid a gentle hand on Daniel's shoulder. "Don't beat yourself up over crockery, Danny. They're not family heirlooms or anything." He gestured out of the kitchen toward the living room. "C'mon, take a break."

Daniel nodded and abandoned the broken plate (temporarily), reaching for the wheelchair control to roll out of the kitchen. "Did you have something to eat at the base?" he asked, hoping Jack wasn't downing bourbon on an empty stomach.

"Heck, no. I stopped off at O'Malleys. Sorry I'm late. Were ya worried?"

"Well…sorta. I called the mountain and they said you were in a meeting. That was hours ago. I…well, you're here now." Daniel realised he sounded like a nag and shut up. He had been more lonely than worried, but the glass in Jack's hand — that made him worried.

"You eaten?" Jack asked.

"Um…no, I haven't. I was going to revive that Italian thing we had last night. There's still plenty left."

"None for me, Daniel. I couldn't." Jack sighed. "Oh, I think I'm just gonna hit the sack. Will you be okay?"

There was definitely something up and it was obvious Jack didn't want to talk about it. If it was a work problem, it wasn't like Jack to bottle it up. Usually he'd take advantage of Daniel as a sounding board and get whatever he wanted to rant about off his chest. Daniel decided to risk pushing the matter.

"Jack? Why can't you tell me what's bothering you? I know it's not just a long day."

By then they were in the living room, facing each other across the room, Daniel in his wheelchair and Jack in the armchair, clutching a pillow across his stomach. He finished off the drink in his hand and almost slammed the glass down on the table. At the last moment, he caught himself and set the glass down gently and Daniel realised it wasn't him making Jack angry.

"Daniel, I can't talk about it. Believe me, I wish to god I could, but I've got strict orders this is need-to-know."

"Well then, let's do something to take your mind off it. Why don't you watch the game I recorded for you from last Monday? It was a good game, you'll enjoy it. Don't go to bed all wound up. You won't sleep."

"Mother hen," Jack accused with a sigh, but this time it was accompanied by a smile. A weary smile, but still, it was something. He stood up and wandered over to the video rack, picking up the remote on his way over. Slipping the tape into the VCR he pressed _play_ before sinking down on the couch at Daniel's right side.

Daniel was please to note that within ten minutes Jack was criticising his team and throwing pillows into the air when they scored. If Jack wouldn't unburden himself of whatever was bothering him, at least he'd get some sleep tonight.

* * *

  


### Two Weeks Later

"Daniel? You coming to lunch before you leave?"

Sam's presence in the doorway of his new office startled Daniel for the third time that week. It was obviously getting easier for him to lose himself in work, which meant his back was bothering him less than it had done a week or so before.

He looked up with a smile. "Erm, I've got a meeting with Jack at thirteen hundred, here, so probably not. Unless it's quick, in which case…"

Daniel's phone rang, interrupting him. He picked it up. "Hullo? Oh, Jack, yes, she's here. Okay, see you in five."

"The colonel looking for me?" Sam asked him.

"Uh-huh. He's on his way down now. I think you'll be missing lunch, too."

Sam grimaced, coming into the room. "I hope not. I'm starving. I've been working on the new computer setup for three days now and I haven't really had time for breaks."

Daniel's smile widened into a knowing grin. "You mean you've been having so much fun with the computers you _forgot_ to _take_ those breaks, don't you?"

Sam's chuckle of acknowledgment warmed a small place inside Daniel. For a while there his whole world had been in the balance again. An experience he didn't want to go through again if he could help it. This small reminder of happier, easier days was a step back towards a pattern of normality which he found that he — for the moment — craved.

"New computer setup?" Daniel queried suddenly, his brain catching up. "Oh, something to do with the new decontam procedures?"

"No, Daniel, the network for the — erm, for the new lab at the Alpha site. Um…they're having a small group of virologists sent out there to do research. Hopefully they'll make sure a plague like this can't happen again. Um…d'you have any coffee around here? I could really use one."

Daniel turned to check the state of his coffee maker. Sam was lying. He knew her well enough to be sure of that. She'd covered, but her explanation was not the one she'd originally been going to give him. The coffee jug was empty. "Um, coffee's in the cupboard," he said, pointing.

Sam jumped up and got the coffee, then grabbed the empty jug and zipped out for more water before Daniel had a chance to question her. Jack appeared at the door and invited himself in before she returned.

"Carter here?" he began, then "Oh, there y'are," as she came back into the office.

"Sir," she nodded and carried the water on over to the percolator, beginning to set it up.

Whatever she wasn't telling him would have to wait until after the meeting, Daniel realised. He understood that there might be some things she'd been ordered not to talk about, but being so out of the loop irritated him. Even if all he got was _that's classified_, he wasn't going to accept her lying to him.

Teal'c appeared at the door, knocking formally even though the door was open. Jack waved him in and pointed at a spare seat. "Take a load off, T."

Daniel looked across to Teal'c; he appeared to be as puzzled by the impromptu meeting in Daniel's office — instead of the more usual briefing room — as Daniel was. Sam on the other hand…

"Jack, what's going on?" Daniel demanded.

Whatever it was, Daniel had the distinct impression he wasn't going to like it. The pause Jack was taking to collect his thoughts before speaking was just taking too long. Oh, god, what now?

"This is top secret until tomorrow, people, but you need a heads-up. We have a new C.O. General Vidrine will be taking over the SGC from tomorrow."

Sam nodded, unsurprised. "I've worked with the general when I was in Washington. He's a good man. A strong C.O."

"There's more," Jack went on. He met Daniel's eyes. "I'm being reassigned, Daniel. I'm to take over command of the Alpha Site." There was another pause while Jack waited for reactions. For probably the first time since they'd all known each other, no one spoke. It seemed they were all too shocked to say anything.

Except Sam, Daniel noticed, who was looking at him.

"You knew," he told her. He tried not to sound accusatory but it did, somewhat anyway.

Sam blushed and looked down at the coffee mug she'd been in the process of filling.

"I mean…I guess you couldn’t say anything, but…why tell Sam and not the rest of us, Jack?"

Sam looked up again. "It wasn't the colonel, Daniel, he didn't tell me anything. I knew there were big things happening at the Alpha Site — I'm part of it, so I had to know — but I didn't know they were transferring the colonel. I — uh — I _hoped_ he'd get the command when I first heard about it…" she glanced at Jack. "And…begging your pardon, Colonel, but I'd noticed lately that you've been…well…"

"I believe 'grumpy' would be the word you are looking for, Major Carter," Teal'c put in helpfully.

"Hey!" Jack protested, mock-glaring at Teal'c.

Teal'c replied with his best eyebrow-lift.

Daniel waited for Jack to meet his eyes again. "_You_ knew," he told Jack, "that day you came home and I'd broken the plates. That _thing_ you couldn't discuss."

"Yeah, Daniel."

A small conversation of reproach, apology, forgiveness and sadness took place between the two men, without a word being spoken.

Finally Jack smiled a small, rueful smile and sighed. "Okay. That's the good news out of the way, now for the bad news."

"Th-that's the _good_ news?" Daniel spluttered. Well, of course it was good news if Jack was getting his own command, but… "What the hell's the bad news?"

"What about _The Simpsons_? And the hockey? I'm gonna go _nuts_ without those!"

The rest of Jack's team burst out laughing.

"It's not funny, kids! I'm serious. If I can't get my dose of sanity at least twice a week, I'm not going. I'll retire!"

"Sir, I don't think you'll get your pension if you give _Simpsons_-deprivation as your reason," Sam pointed out dryly.

Daniel was less amused. "You can't retire, Jack. I wish it were that easy, I mean, this is gonna screw things up for both of us. I'm gonna have to find somewhere else to live…"

"I do not believe that will be necessary, Daniel Jackson," Teal'c interrupted him. "O'Neill's house has already been altered for your use. If O'Neill will grant permission, I will gladly stay with you there."

For the first time that day a broad grin crossed Jack's face. "That's a great idea, T! I'm sure I can get you permission for Daniel's sake."

"And don't worry about _The Simpsons_, sir," Sam interjected. There's a ton of DVDs of that show and I'm sure we can manage to record the games between us."

Jack's mouth quirked wryly. "So I've gotta go, huh?" He shook his head. "I don't know…leaving Vidrine to look after two of my kids…"

"Two!" Sam blurted. "…Sir?"

"Ah, yeah, that's the other bit of bad news. Well, not bad for you, Carter, but…"

"Sam's going too?" Daniel asked. "Why?"

Sam's eyes were still wide. "Wait a minute…permanently? I knew I'd be going out there to set up, sir, but…"

Jack nodded. "Cheyenne Mountain is standing down as our front-line base. That function will transfer to Stargate Alpha as soon as the new base is ready."

"The Alpha site…"

"Yes, Daniel. The combat and diplomatic units will be transferring off-world, along with a couple of research teams. The main scientific teams are staying here under General Vidrine. So, Carter, if you stay here you'll be working a lab and off-world one day a month if you're lucky. I want you on SG-1."

Sam was nodding agreement. Daniel felt that old sinking feeling return, leaving him with a cold weight in the pit of his stomach. It was almost physically painful. God knew how much he was going to miss Jack, but Sam was going as well…his family was tearing apart. He found he was gripping the arms of his chair too tightly and made an effort to relax. Yes, it was selfish. He knew it was but even so…this hurt.

"When do you have to leave?" Daniel asked.

"Carter leaves in a couple of days. I've got a week. The schedule for most of the teams will be finalised when General Vidrine arrives."

A silence fell while the new information sank in. Then Jack got up from the seat opposite Daniel and moved to the door. "Okay, kids. I'm guessing we've got a heck of a lot more talking to do about this, so how 'bout we meet up at my house tonight. Burgers and beer okay with everyone?"

More silence and Jack's invitation was acknowledged with nods and Teal'c's expressive eyebrow. Teal'c was the next one to leave with an affirmation that he would meet them later. Sam said she would drive him to the colonel's house.

Sam didn't leave immediately. She continued to sit on her stool at the end of Daniel's desk. "I didn't know, Daniel. I thought I was only going out there to get the gate computers up and running. I thought… Oh, god, Mark, Janet, Cassie! What do I say to them? I mean, I can at least tell Janet and Cassie the truth but Mark…I've only just gotten back into his good books and now…I'll be leaving for good and I can't even tell him where I'll be. Can't tell him why he won't be able to contact me…"

Daniel was suddenly struck by something that made the weight in his heart even heavier. "What makes you think Janet won't be going, too?"

Sam shook her head. "Cassie is still a minor and Janet's a single parent. They won't allow families out there, and they won't unnecessarily relocate any officer who has a dependent. Doctor Warner is already out there as CMO."

For the first time Daniel felt some relief. Janet…at least Janet would be here. She'd told him that if he needed to talk about anything, he could go to her. It was standard procedure to ensure that someone in Daniel's position (having suffered a major injury) had access to a counsellor. Daniel had not taken advantage of the service while in hospital; just what was necessary to get himself cleared for a return to work. Now he know he would need to talk to someone about this and Janet, or maybe even Teal'c, seemed like good candidates for the job. He knew both of them would be happy to help him and this thought alone made him feel a little better about losing half of his family.

"Sam…"

Daniel had never told her — there was never a situation where it would have been appropriate — how close to her he felt. He was born an only child but since joining SG-1 he gained a whole family and Sam was a wonderful sister.

"I'm really gonna miss you, you know," he told her gently. Sam almost teared up at this confession and Daniel watched her fight herself back to some kind of emotional balance. _Maybe I should have saved that for later_, he rebuked himself. _But it's said now._ "It's true, Sam."

She seemed to be going through some kind of tussle with herself. After a moment, she got up and came over to him, then put her arms carefully around him. Surprised only for a moment, Daniel reciprocated, pulling her in close.

"Daniel, I can't tell you how much I'm going to miss you. I know I've probably never said anything but…damn it, you're like a brother to me. I love you."

"I know, Sam, same here."

She pulled back, looking at him, remorse clear in her eyes. "I'm sorry I never came to see you in the hospital. You must've thought — "

"Oh, no, Sam, not at all. Jack told me you didn't get a spare second to yourself after the plague; you've barely had time to take a day off, I know. I totally understand. Please don't beat yourself up over it now."

"But it's not fair! We nearly lost you, I couldn't see you for weeks and just as you return to work and we can get together again I'm going to the Alpha Site for god-knows-how-long! It's like…like…"

"Like losing a part of your family?"

The tears she could no longer hold back told Daniel that Sam felt exactly as he did. For some reason that lessened his loneliness a little. He would never truly lose these friends, however many light years the Air Force put between them. "If I can make contact every day, I will," he promised.

She smiled. "And if you don't, you'd better watch out, Mister, 'cos I'm going to be after you!" she promised right back, with that look of dogged determination that was so much a part of her personality.

They shared a smile that became a grin. Then a breath-stealing hug.

"Lunch?" she offered again.

"I think I might have room for some commissary meatloaf before I call it a day," he told her, steering his wheelchair from behind the desk and, collecting his jacket and briefcase, headed out the door.

"Shirker," Sam threw out casually as she followed him.

"Workaholic," he tossed back over his shoulder.

She snorted. "Look who's talking. Janet said you could work four hours a day, max. What time is it now, mister-does-as-he's-told?"

"My watch needs a new battery."

* * *

Jack tucked a blanket around Daniel's shoulders. There was a definite chill in the air and though Daniel hadn't complained, Jack saw him shivering. He hadn't realised how much difference it made that Daniel couldn't move around to keep warm.

Daniel thanked him with a quick smile, pulling the blanket tight around him. Carter set her wine glass down and offered the bowl of chips around one more time. Jack grabbed a handful. Teal'c and Daniel both declined.

They were sitting out on the deck behind Jack's house, barbeque smoke drifting toward them, the night closing in around them. With the remains of their meal stacked beside the dying barbeque, and their various drink preferences to relax them they were finally beginning to unwind; they were ready, Jack judged, to start talking about the changes they all had to face.

Unusually, it was Teal'c who started things off:

"Will the house still belong to you, O'Neill? Or do you intend — "

"I'm keeping title," Jack answered. He glanced at Daniel. "Daniel's gonna pay the mortgage for me while I'm gone; that'll stand as rent. I'm getting the legal stuff taken care of." What Jack didn't say was that he'd changed his will; if he died — which was going to be a real possibility, living permanently off-world — his insurance would pay off the mortgage and Daniel would get the place. He wanted to let Daniel know that, but this wasn't the time: it didn't take genius to see that Daniel was having trouble dealing with losing two of his friends to a less-than-friendly galaxy. Jack wouldn't make it worse by pointing out he might not come back.

Jack settled back into his chair. "Daniel, damn it, I'm sorry about this. We were doing so nicely. Plus, I owe you one huge, honking chess game or ten." He glanced at the others. "He beat the entire wardrobe off me, last game we played," he added, by way of explanation.

Daniel gave him his let's-try-this-out-on-the-big-scary-monster smile. The one that made you cringe before it hardly got started. Jack felt like a heartless bastard, even though none of this was his fault. He was beginning to realise that Daniel suffered more than physical damage from that horrendous cannon-blast. Daniel was a tough S.O.B and it was unusual for him to be taken down by anything short of the loss of a loved one. It made Jack realise that, maybe, that was exactly what Daniel was going through. He hadn't considered that side of it. Well, he hadn't wanted to. He was going to miss Daniel and Teal'c more than anything… Jack vowed to himself right there and then that he would make sure he and Daniel spent some time talking, really talking, before he had to leave. Anything they wanted said had to _be_ said. Life could be vicious in its left-field deliveries — anything could happen at any time and regret was a real crusher.

For tonight, though, they needed to make sure they had the practicalities covered.

"So, _The Simpsons_. Carter?"

"DVDs. Yes, sir."

"Games?"

"Major Carter has promised to show me how to program the appropriate equipment, O'Neill."

That one was too good to let go. Jack smirked, "Well, that's very nice, T, I'm happy for ya, but what about my games?"

Just the deadpan look.

"Does that mean yes?"

"I believe you are regretting leaving Daniel Jackson, O'Neill; hence this immature behaviour."

Carter hid her face behind the wine bottle and tried valiantly not to choke.

Daniel was still nibbling at his burnt burger. Still. Not happy and not dealing. This needed tackling and, with the best will in the world, neither of them were all that good at opening up about stuff, not even to Sam or Teal'c. Maybe it was time to give Daniel…give them both a break.

"Okay, kids, it's getting cold out here, so let's wrap it up for the night. Carter, you running T back to the mountain?"

"No, sir," she replied. "I thought I'd let him walk back." She patted Teal'c's stomach lightly; wary of Junior, perhaps. "Looks like he could use the exercise…"

Teal'c turned his head very slowly toward her and regarded her silently for a moment. "Inappropriate sarcasm. It appears your behaviour is 'rubbing off' on Major Carter, O'Neill. You should desist at once."

Jack just grinned back, suddenly fighting off a yawn. God, it had been a crazy…month? Something like that. "You could be right, T. See you both tomorrow."

"Indeed."

"Goodnight, sir. Sleep well, Daniel."

* * *

Once they got out to Sam's classic little Volvo, she tossed Teal'c her keys, indicating he could drive. It was the least she could do considering he had to cram his huge frame into her little car anyway. She waited while he adjusted the driver's seat to his comfort. There was something which had been bugging her for the past half hour or so; ever since Daniel had kind of withdrawn from the conversation.

"Teal'c, can I ask you something?"

He inclined his head. "Of course."

"Are you going to be alright, doing this? I mean, moving in with Daniel, looking after him."

"I consider it a great honour to do so."

It was exactly what she thought Teal'c would say, but it didn't really answer Sam's question. "Yeah, I know. It's just…I know Daniel's forgiven you for Sha're, but living with someone, once the novelty wears off…it can get difficult sometimes. Stuff that should stay in the past gets dredged up…"

"Fear not, Major Carter. I have had to pander to the whims of the false god Apophis and found ways to curb his wild tempers without harm to myself. However poor a 'patient' he may be, Daniel Jackson cannot be more challenging than that. Daniel Jackson is a brave warrior and I consider it a sacred obligation assist in his recovery. Indeed, I hope this will be an opportunity to know him better, so I may find effective ways to ease his pain, if he will trust me enough to accomplish that."

Sam smirked at the comparison of Daniel to Apophis and concluded Teal'c would do just fine. "Wow, Teal'c! I think that's the longest speech I've ever heard from you. Nice going."

Teal'c kept his eyes on the road but let his eyebrow ascend to a new level of smug satisfaction.

* * *

Jack waited until the other half of SG-1 — not for much longer, damn it! — let themselves out and then started to clear the detrius of the meal they'd shared. Once the plates were in the dishwasher, he snagged another couple of beers and headed back into the living room to join Daniel. Daniel had wheeled himself over to the chess board near the fireplace and was idly playing with the black king.

"So, Daniel — "

"'M fine."

_You're anything but fine, Doctor Jackson._ "That doesn't work any more, ya know."

Daniel just went on turning the king over in his hands. Jack parked himself on the end of the couch and waited. Most people who had difficulty talking about themselves found silences awkward or even irritating. He and Daniel had discovered that if one of them gave the other enough silence — _good_ silence, the friendly kind — it just felt natural to start filling the empty space with their own thoughts. It shouldn't work but somehow it did.

"I never thought about dependence or independence when I was six," Daniel said softly, apparently speaking to the chess piece in his hand. "The only things that concerned me were getting my hands on all the fascinating stuff and digging for gold in the sand and dirt. The only inconveniences were the dangers I wasn't aware of yet and mealtimes."

"Not bedtime?" asked Jack, thinking of how hard it had been to put Charlie to bed sometimes.

"No! I loved bedtime. Especially when we were on a dig with tents all around, smelly camels or horses or rattlely old Land Rovers and camp fires when it got dark. Exotic food and eating with only one hand and curling up near the fire listening to everyone talk around me in languages that were even more exotic and how exciting it was when I could understand them… It was an unending dream but I didn't know that then. Not 'till I woke up when I was eight."

Jack felt the sickening thud of that ten ton stone inside; he could almost see it getting darker even though the blinds were drawn and it was already dark outside. He said nothing and just let Daniel continue.

"I had to learn to fight. Fight for everything. I lost so much of what I'd taken for granted back then. Even books and stuff; only so much I could take with me to the — "

_Orphanage_, Jack's mind supplied. He saw how horrifying it must have been to boy-Daniel, robbed of his parents and their nomadic lifestyle, suddenly thrust into a "normal" life where people spoke only one language; where school was neat and tidy and there were no stinky camels; where it must have been cold compared to the Middle East; where he'd be laughed at instead of encouraged for digging in the ground…

"Then there was Catherine," Daniel said and smiled a little. "Suddenly my childish dream of gold and hidden treasure and arcane knowledge and ancient peoples…it was all real and right there in front of me."

"You took it and ran," Jack commented.

Daniel extended his fond smile for Catherine to include Jack. "Yes, I did. I had Sha're, and a father, a whole family again. It's strange how quickly I fell back into that happy carelessness again. Except for one thing."

Jack knew, of course he knew what Daniel meant. The biggest best present a geek could get. "The stargate."

Daniel nodded, setting the chess piece down gently. "But it wasn't just that. I mean, I don't think I realised it back then, but somewhere inside I knew we'd meet again. I shouldn't have needed for a single thing, Jack. It was my dream come true." He fell silent suddenly; seemed like he couldn't continue.

"What?"

"I don't know…I think…I missed you. The world I had was so wonderful and the people there cared in a way I'd never known before but…I still felt…outside." Again he fell silent and raised his head to look at Jack. "Nobody would have understood. If you'd been there…you would have known." Daniel started the wheelchair motor and rolled into the middle of the room, not facing Jack. "It's all about depending on someone," he concluded.

And the penny dropped. Jack understood what was bothering Daniel so much. When he'd come back from Abydos Daniel had been so lost. Jack did everything he could to make him feel like he wasn't on his own. Maybe he'd been a little too successful. Even the General, when he understood what Daniel had lost, Carter of course and later Teal'c — they'd all made themselves into a family. Now Daniel was saying he'd come to depend on that family…and one at a time they were leaving him.

Dependence. It weakens you. That was what Daniel meant. Now, when he needed to be strong, he didn't know if he could be.

"I hate this, Jack. Hate not being able to look after myself. Hate that you can't…" He shook his head.

Not sure of the missing word, this time, Jack scooted along the couch to sit level with Daniel's chair, where he could see his friend's face. "Teal'c will do okay by ya, Daniel."

Daniel shook his head again. "It's an obligation, Jack. To Teal'c or anyone else who has to do this, it's an obligation. But not to you. I don't know what it is…I dare say you don't know, but it's not an obligation to you. It never has been. Any more than buying the Simpsons DVDs or recording your games is an obligation to me. Losing that…it's going to take something away that I've been used to having. I don't know how to find that place with Teal'c, or even if it's possible. There isn't enough time." Daniel ran a hand through his rumpled hair and winced in pain; even that simple gesture had a price for him now. "I'm sorry," he sighed. "I guess I'm just having a bad day."

"I guess you are," Jack said sympathetically. He stood and moved behind Daniel, laying his hands across his shoulders and feeling the vibrating tension that was wringing him out. That had to hurt. And, damn, damn it! There was nothing Jack could do for him. There would be no eleventh hour turnaround of orders, no magic wand to wave and make this situation up and vanish. The brass had made their call and Jack knew it was a good one. Heck, he was getting his own command — personal issues aside, he was thrilled to take this job. He just didn't like the hurried departure.

There wasn't enough time. How much time left to make sure Daniel was going to be alright, before he left? How much time to make sure his cabin in Minnesota was shipshape enough to make it through the winter? He would be lucky if he could find time to make the trip this week.

There was so much he was leaving behind. For God and Country…well, at least one of those.


	4. Stargate Alpha

### P3X-984, Ten Months Later

Jack stared at the package of video tapes on his desk. They had come through the gate, along with some medical supplies and the usual stack of paperwork, only the day before.

Life on P3X-984, formerly the "Alpha" site, was always busy. Three months to get operational and still under construction, they were now the front line for Earth's battle against the Goa'uld and any other hostile aliens. The facilities on the base were more comprehensive than previously, when the planet was used as a refuge for Earth's best and brightest in times of dire need. No longer a potential colony they were hoping would never be used, the Alpha Site was a fully functioning military base: Stargate Alpha, commanded by Colonel Jack O'Neill.

He always wanted a command like this. He would gladly give it up to reverse time and restore all those lives lost in the plague at the SGC.

Life was busy, and Jack was no longer in a position to just take off at the end of the day and head for the hills if he wanted to, or even just for home. There could be no more leave spent fishing in Minnesota — though there _was_ a great fishing spot within easy reach of the base — no more evenings spent debating the meaning of life with Daniel over a couple of beers at the local bar. His quarters were comfortable, though, and he had brought many things from his house on Earth to decorate his lodge in the Residential Unit here. It wasn't the same.

It could never be the same. The loneliness of his position as head of the SGA kicked in a while back and he had trouble relaxing these days. The tapes of the games that Daniel sent were an absolute godsend and Jack was looking forward to the end of this day, hoping that he could retire to his quarters, put his feet up and watch some of them.

That wasn't going to happen until Carter finished her tests on those armbands. He was hoping she would finish soon, not least because it would help him avoid another confrontation with that Tok'Ra woman. Anise, along with her escort, showed up unannounced that morning. She was new to Jack and his instinct screamed _trouble!_ the moment he saw her. There was no obvious reason to distrust her — well, she had the whole arrogance thing going, but that was just the Tok'Ra. The Tok'Ra in general, Jack could handle. Jacob Carter had suffered no ill effects from his blending with one of them. In fact he always came across as quite positive, even happy about it. Which kinda made sense: it had saved his life, after all. Then there was the Tok'Ra woman who infiltrated Hathor's base a while back and saved Jack from the snake that Goa'uld _bitch_ stuck in his head. A little thing like that could make the Tok'Ra grow on you. Which made it all the more unsettling when something about Anise just set off Jack's internal "alarm system". She put him on edge.

At least it gave Carter something different to do. There were many bits and pieces of stuff being developed for Earth's defences, all of them long-term projects. Jack was used to Carter's reports on different nik-naks dropping regularly onto his desk. The single pile had expanded to two at the beginning of last week. Every report was detailed and virtually incomprehensible, despite Carter's assurances that she had simplified the physics for him, and Jack doubted he would manage to read them before the projects were finished. It would be nice if these armbands gave her a chance to get back to him on something they could actually use before senility set in.

If only Anise hadn't been such a bulldog about this pet project of hers. Alright, so they were an unknown alien technology, coming from an extinct race who were around before the Goa'uld and they were rumoured to give the wearer...what was it? "Incredible speed and strength." Or that was how Carter thought she remembered it. Nice to know that Jolinar's memories could back Anise up on this one. Her (his?) memories came in useful sometimes, and if Sam told them Jolinar knew about something, then it was usually right.

The downside for Anise was the armbands were useless to the Tok'Ra. Which could of course be a big bonus for Earth if they delivered as expected. But it also meant she needed some of the "Tau'ri" to test them. So Carter was running tests on the armbands now. If she came back with any hint that the damned things might be harmful, the experiment would _not_ even begin, let alone proceed to the degree Anise proposed. Anise was all scientist, and her other half, the host — _Fry_-something — was barely heard from at all. Another thing that made Jack's hackles rise.

The phone on his desk rang and he answered it. "Yes, Carter? Please tell me you have good news on the armbands."

"Er...well, not good news, sir, but not bad news, either. The casing resists all attempts to get past it, but we were able to get limited results from the energy readings."

"Which means what exactly, Major? Are they safe or not?" Damn it, he would have thought Carter might have found a way to be succinct by now! Yes, no or maybe; it was simple enough, wasn't it?

"Sir, the bottom line is I don't know. There's no way to determine whether the armbands are harmful, short of actually trying them out on someone. None of the results we _did_ get showed anything harmful, but those results are limited, sir." She sounded put out, presumably over her inability to analyse those armbands right down to their figurative teeth and toenails. Jack almost grinned until he remembered this was going to put a serious dent in his plans for the evening. Anise and her aide were still on the base, waiting — impatiently, no doubt — for the tests to be done. She really wasn't going to be happy with what Jack's decision was going to have to be. Based on Carter's findings he really had little choice about this.

Once he'd gotten off the line with Carter he called his secretary and arranged a meeting with Anise, Carter and the rest of SG-1 for an hour's time. Damn! He just knew Anise was going to give him all kinds of grief over this. Sighing tiredly, Jack got to his feet and went over to his coffee machine for a recharge.

He had just settled himself on his overstuffed leather couch with a nice hot mug of pure caffeine in his hands, when there was a knock on his office door.

_Now what?_ "Come in!"

It was Carter. She had a collection of papers under her arm, as well as the armband she had been testing.

"Carter? Didn't we just have this conversation on the phone?" _Not more detail, please..._

"Yes, Colonel, but... Look, sir, I know what you said initially about these things. Unless there was definite proof the armbands are harmless, you wouldn't okay the experiment."

"I do remember what I said, Carter."

"Yes, sir. The thing is..."

"Alright, Major. Spit it out." She had _that_ look on her face. The one where she felt like she had to do or say something, but also knew he wasn't going to like it.

"I've been trying to remember everything Jolinar knew about these devices. I think that this technology could be of tremendous use to...to Daniel, sir. You remember in his e-mail today he said he'd been able to walk a few steps?"

Jack nodded. He remembered. Daniel also said it hurt so much to walk it wasn't worth the effort for him. Not yet.

"…because it's a matter of strength." Carter was still talking at a hundred miles an hour. "So if these armbands work the way Anise's research suggests, the technology could be exactly what Daniel needs, sir. Maybe it could help Reynolds on SG-2 as well. You know it's going to be six months before he can use that arm again?"

Okay, that put a different spin on things. Anything that could help Daniel was worth considering. Carter had seen Daniel more recently than Jack, but Jack knew he was still in constant pain. As for Reynolds, his accident was nobody's fault but it was a serious headache for Jack. SG-2 was effectively grounded until a competent replacement officer could be sent from Earth. Reynolds had been assigned to SG-2 after serving on SG-9 for a year and he was damn good at his job. He wouldn't be easy to replace.

"That would make a bit of a difference, Major. There's just one problem."

"Sir?"

"If the armbands do work, how do you suggest we get the Tok'Ra to hand over a couple?" Jack could think of several ways _that_ conversation might go: none of them pleasant and all of them ending with Jack's ass in a political sling. Nasty.

"Well, sir, if we go ahead with the tests Anise proposed, that ought to give us the right to share in the technology." Carter jumped in with an answer so fast Jack guessed she had been giving this a lot of thought. "We could make it a condition of agreeing to the experiment."

"You really think they'd go for that?" Jack asked doubtfully. "Anise said she'd go elsewhere. If they're going to be as useful to us as you think, can we afford to lose this chance?"

"I have a feeling we were Anise's last hope. If you ask me, sir, I think Anise was bluffing when she said she could go somewhere else."

Jack actually had that impression, too. But he couldn't rely so much on his personal hunches now he had responsibility for an entire base. On the other hand, maybe it was just that ability to think fast on his feet that made the President insist on him for this command. He didn't know.

The decision was never going to be easy, no matter which way he jumped. Maybe he should just make up his mind about the damned thing and move on. "I've called a meeting about this for 2030 hours. I'll give you my decision then, Major."

"Yes, sir."

"Dismissed."

Once she'd gone, Jack poured himself another coffee — when had he drunk the last one? — and sat back down, feeling a little better. Maybe he would be able to get a game in tonight after all.

* * *

Jack pulled his tie straight, wishing again for the days when he could wear just plain BDUs around the base. Not here. The boss had to be in uniform. The clean, crisp lines of the USAF uniform didn't suit Jack's temperament. By the end of a day, the jacket looked like he'd slept in it, the collar was filthy from his constant attempts to loosen it and the tie could be anywhere except dead centre. How did Hammond manage it? Jack couldn't help the wry grin tugging at the corners of his mouth as Hammond's name came to mind. What would he have thought of Jack's position here — for all intents and purposes, Hammond's former job? Maybe he wouldn't have found it so unlikely. He had spoken of grooming Jack for his own command. Jack just hadn't expected it to come so soon, and not at the price of Hammond's life.

Taking a last look in the small, practical mirror that rested on the display case behind his desk, Jack left his office and proceeded to the briefing room to break the good news to Anise. There was still an element of doubt lingering in his mind, but the decision was made. He hadn't accepted this command expecting the decisions to be easy.

Carter and the rest of SG-1 were already waiting, seated around the oblong table, folders in front of them. They all looked eager or hopeful to some degree. Jack glanced at each of them as he walked around the table, considering what he knew of this team.

Carter looked far too awake for the end of the day. Her eyes were bright and though she was trying to keep her feelings off her face, she met Jack's eyes expectantly as he walked into the room. He kept his expression neutral, returning her look with a brief nod.

Lieutenant Astor was seated next to Carter. Now _she_ looked tired. Jack frowned, making a mental note to check on her later. He might envy Carter's alertness, but that didn't mean he wanted his people to look as wiped-out as Astor did right now. Maybe she'd been overdoing it in the gym or something — Astor was big on physical fitness — but it wouldn't hurt to check. If there was a problem she shouldn't be taking part in this experiment.

The lieutenant was more of a soldier than any of the others in SG-1, and knowing her record in combat Jack could guess she was hopeful about the armbands. If the armband tests were successful, the advantage would be no more visible in her than in any of the others, but her mind-set was a little simpler than the other three. If the technology failed she would see it in terms of a valuable weapon lost. Jack liked her.

The two men were deep in conversation, falling silent as Jack appeared. Gene Wilson was Carter's 2IC; an always-cheerful captain with a good, solid record. Wilson was a soldier, like Astor, but he was a specialist in mechanical engineering and that kept him away from the front lines most of the time...at least, on Earth. He completed several missions with SG-1 under that piece-of-scum Makepeace's command and the mission reports made interesting reading. Wilson somehow found a way to use the vines on PX4-941 as a means of transmitting radio signals back to the base camp, when his radio failed. His explanation of the complex properties of some of the plant life there, including the vines, had been enough for the brass to OK the extraction and propagation of it at Stargate Alpha. As a result, the need for electric and fibre optic cabling to be shipped to the SGA through the stargate had become greatly reduced. Needless to say, the Financial Appropriations Committee had been pleased by this. Anything to cut down the always exorbitant budget for the stargate program.

However, Wilson was still largely an unknown quantity to Jack. He joined the SGC only a few days before the contagion swept through and decimated the forces at the Cheyenne Mountain base, and so Jack still had little experience of him. Nevertheless, Carter swore by him and Jack saw no reason not to trust her judgement.

Jack had no real idea how Wilson would be affected by the success or failure of these armband trials, although his face, forever cheerful, intimated that he would let failure slide off him like water off a duck's back. The effect of success, Jack wasn't quite so sure of. There was potential with something like this, for the wearers to gain feelings of invincibility and that could be dangerous.

The last face was Lieutenant Graham Simmons. A technician back at the SGC, giving Simmons a place in an SG unit was something of a gamble on Jack's part. But after the plague there had been so few experienced personnel left Jack had to take a few risks. And when that traitor Makepeace was finally caught and arrested, there were even fewer people for Jack to choose from when he had to pick a new "fourth" for SG-1. Simmons was a gamble that was so far paying off: the kid had always struck Jack as the careful type – reliable. Yet his dark hair and eyes, combined with his boyish looks had proven to be useful as well as deceptive since he'd joined SG-1. He was becoming a good diplomat, according to Carter's reports, and he kept his head under fire, too. Jack wasn't sure which way he might jump should these armbands prove ultimately to be unusable. Disappointment, as a word, wasn't even in the military vocabulary; you obeyed orders, you worked the mission to the best of your ability and that was it. Often times too, human life could be at stake. Not however, to the degree that it was known to be in Stargate Command. It made a tangible difference, and Simmons was still very young. So: disappointment or acceptance? Well, whichever way Simmons might jump if the circumstances arose, he would move on. You couldn't survive life in an SG team unless you did.

Both Astor and Simmons began to stand when Jack walked in. He waved them back into their seats. Astor was probably never going to break that habit but Simmons should know better. Jack never insisted on that sort of formality; not at the SGC and certainly not here. "I take it the Tok'Ra are still sulking?"

Carter's eyes brightened even more as she grinned, the expression quickly wiped away. Jack smiled back; he obviously wasn't the only one who remembered the not-so-minor tantrum Anise threw when Jack insisted the SGA technicians would do their own preliminary testing before he would agree to anything further. And speak of the devil...

Anise strode into the briefing room, accompanied by her aide, Morna, and walked straight across to confront Jack.

"Well; what is your answer? Will your people submit themselves for the experimentation, or have we wasted our time?"

Oh, she was definitely still in a pissy mood. _Submit themselves?_ Anise's phrasing almost made Jack change his mind on the spot. There was an ugly subtext in there somewhere. But if Carter was right, and this technology could help Daniel, it was too important to throw away because she pissed him off. Jack took a deep breath and swallowed what he wanted to say. There wasn't likely to be much discussion in this meeting, so he shouldn't have to put up with Anise's hostility for long.

"Have a seat, Anise," Jack invited her with forced calm.

She complied, none too graciously, which allowed Jack to sit as well.

"I have decided to agree, in principle, to the SGA participation in your project," he told Anise.

She opened her mouth, ready to take charge of the rest of the meeting, no doubt.

Jack wasn't finished. He went on before she could speak: "There is still the question of who will participate. I will not order anyone to take part in an experiment involving unknown alien technology. That decision is up to Major Carter and her team. They are the ones who will be at risk if anything goes wrong." Jack couldn't actually see Anise tapping her foot, but her sour expression told him all he needed to know about what she thought of _that_. He turned to Carter, putting the ball firmly in her court. "Major?"

Carter glanced around the table, picking out each of her team. "Well, sir, Simmons, Astor, Wilson and I have already discussed this and we're all agreed. We think the potential gain is worth the risk. We want to go ahead with whatever tests Anise has in mind."

"On the understanding that Doctor Warner will be included at every stage of the experiments," Jack added.

At that, Anise's bad mood returned with a vengeance. "Colonel O'Neill, I can assure you that the Tok'Ra biosensors and diagnostic recording devices are more than capable of—"

"I'm sure your technology works fine, Anise, but I was hoping you would be willing to extend us the courtesy of involving our chief medical officer. Doctor Warner is responsible for every aspect of the health of everyone on this base, and he insisted on being included in this." Okay, so she wasn't too thrilled about that. Tough. Jack added, "I should tell you that as CMO, Doctor Warner has the authority to override my orders in medical matters. If he wants to put a stop to this, he can."

For only the second time since she'd appeared on the base, the Tok'Ra host — what was her name again? Fryer? — elected to speak. "Please, Colonel, accept my assurance that Anise is willing to comply with your wishes on this point. She simply feels that the medical technology you have is insufficient for her needs. Anise is a scientist and has worked very hard for this opportunity to study the Atanik technology. I'm sure you understand."

"Me? Well, I'm not a scientist." _And you can't say what you'd really like to at this point, Jack, can you? God forbid. That would be rude._ Now that was Daniel's voice whispering in his mind. Jack stifled the grin that was fighting to come out and carried on. "But I do understand how useful these armbands could be in our continued fight against the Goa'uld."

Freya's head bowed, her eyes closing momentarily. When she looked back, Anise stared coolly out of her eyes once more. "Then we may begin?"

"There is one more stipulation before I can sign off on this."

Her eyes narrowing, Anise very obviously bit her lip and swallowed what must have been a big sigh of aggravation. "Colonel?"

"If the tests prove successful, the Tok'Ra _will_ share this technology with us. We don't exist solely for your benefit. We agree to be guinea pigs, we get to share the tangible results. There are people who need this technology now. People who are invaluable to the stargate program who are no longer able to contribute everything that they could."

"Doctor Jackson."

Jack bit back an exclamation. Either she was a mind-reader, or she knew more about them than he anticipated.

Anise met his eyes. "Doctor Jackson was hurt saving the lives of two members of the Tok'Ra, Colonel. Is it so strange we would remember that?"

No, maybe it wasn't. Maybe she was human after all. Jack confirmed her guess. "Daniel is one of them, yes."

She nodded. "It will be necessary to discuss this with the Tok'Ra High Council, but I see no reason why they would not agree to this. I will contact them immediately and inform you of their decision. _Then_ may we proceed with the tests?"

"Absolutely. I'm looking forward to seeing what SG-1 can do with them." Jack said it as a concession, a sop to Anise's impatience. She didn't take it that way. She just nodded curtly and turned on her heel, already heading for the SGA infirmary. God help Warner when she got there.

Jack gestured for Carter and the others to follow her. "Don't let her start without you, Major. Good luck."

* * *

"Who amongst your team is the most fit, Major?" Anise asked, fixing her gaze on Lieutenant Simmons and Captain Wilson.

Sam felt a little put-out by that. Admittedly, the two men had been the most accommodating members of SG-1 as far as Anise was concerned. Simmons could be quite the diplomat and he had a strong scientific interest in the armbands. Wilson could charm the birds out of the trees before they knew they'd flown, and Sam was sure he had at least tried his charm on Anise.

"You'll be starting with me, Anise," Sam told her firmly. She followed Colonel O'Neill's example in that respect: she wouldn't ask her team to do anything she hadn't tried herself.

"I concur," Doctor Warner put in, before Anise could object. He seemed as determined as the colonel to take control of the situation and Sam knew there would be some friction between him and Anise before this was over. Sam blew out her cheeks and waited while the two of them squared off, arguing about who was the best candidate to begin the experiment. Sam and the rest of SG-1 had only a couple of hours before they went off-duty. Sam wondered if they would be finished by then.

Eventually, Warner persuaded Anise that he was correct. Astor was probably the fittest of the team, but Sam had more combat experience than any of them. Physically she was very fit, and her scientific mind would be best able to take note of any mental or emotional effects the armbands might manifest.

Anise, adversarial by nature, agreed reluctantly, and Sam thought probably only because the colonel had told her Warner could end the experiment if he chose. It confirmed her guess that she needed the co-operation of the SGA badly. Anise seemed to struggle for a moment to regain her objectivity, then summoned Sam over to the medi-bed. Sam sat on the edge of the bed, feeling a little nervous now the moment was here.

She raised her T-shirt as Anise directed. Anise held a round object with flashing lights. Sam vaguely recognised it, but like so many of Jolinar's memories, the details wouldn't come to her. She waited while Anise placed the flashing disc on her midriff, just below her heart. Sam flinched a little as the device attached itself to her flesh, part of it seeming to crawl beneath the skin. She hoped it wouldn't take a piece of her with it, when the time came to take this off.

Anise retrieved one of the armbands from the case and Sam held out her right arm for Anise to attach it. There was a brief tingling sensation and a diamond illuminated on the armband, indicating, Sam guessed, that it was active. The armband moulded itself to the shape of her arm. Clearly neither the protein marker left by Jolinar, nor the naquadah in her blood was going to be a problem. So it was the presence of a live symbiot that stopped the armbands working for the Tok'Ra. Interesting.

"The biosensor will transmit information about all of your body's systems to this recording device," Anise told her, indicating the data pad she now held. Feel free to move about the base as you normally would. The biosensor will work over quite some distance."

"Okay," Sam replied, trying to catch a look at the readouts on Anise's pad. She didn't _feel_ any different. Getting down off the bed, she moved to Anise's side, attempting to look over her shoulder.

"I shall want you to show me how to read that device, Anise," Doctor Warner told her firmly.

"Of course," she agreed, almost off-handedly. "For now, though, I would like you, Major Carter, to go about your normal business on the base. It will take some time for the armband to be fully functional. They were designed this way, apparently, to give the body time to adjust physically to the enhancements."

That sounded logical, Sam thought. "Well, I do have some unrelated work to do on the base dialup program. But I have to go off-shift in a couple of hours, so I guess I won't be back for my first check-up until morning."

"You will keep the armband on at all times, Major Carter, I will require readings across the whole spectrum of human activity if the trial is to be successful."

Sam nodded, but she was concerned. "Am I going to be able to sleep with this on?" she asked. "If all of my basic functions are going to improve, that's going to significantly impact on my system, right?"

Doctor Warner nodded. "That does seem likely, Major. If you experience any uncomfortable or disturbing symptoms, I want you to report them _to me_ at once. Also, if you have any trouble sleeping, _I want to know_. Is that clear?"

"Yes, sir."

At a nod from Anise, Sam considered herself dismissed and headed off to the stargate control room to start work on that program. From the resurgence of raised voices behind her she could tell that Anise was anything but "clear" about the continuing interference from Doctor Warner. He was perfectly capable of holding his own, but Sam couldn't help feeling a little sorry for him. Anise was a bulldog; Sam had managed to escape the woman but it was going to be a _long_ night for the chief medical officer.

* * *

Sam settled down in her corner of the control room and started to work. She was aware of the armband, but it wasn't intrusive or uncomfortable. She began the task of stripping out redundant code from the backup computer dialling system. The control room was quiet at this time of night: no teams were leaving or due back, so only the techs on duty were there. And Sam, who spent many of her off-duty hours here, too.

She had barely been at work for fifteen minutes when she was joined by her team-mates, Simmons and Wilson. It was clear from the way they sauntered in that they weren't here to help her out.

"Hiya, Major."

Sam looked up to be confronted with Graham's disarming smile. For a moment, she was reminded of the first few months they worked together back at the SGC. He'd had something of a crush on her; luckily events gave him the opportunity to confront those feelings and she hadn't done anything to squash his spirit. He got over it, and they had developed a solid friendship. It was Sam who suggested him for SG-1, and so far his work on the team was exemplary. Youthful and even naïve he might appear, but Sam now had a sneaking suspicion he worked hard on that image. People tended to underestimate him, and he used that to his advantage.

She returned his grin, hiding her impatience. "Lieutenant. And Wilson. Come to play?" She indicated the adjacent keyboards, knowing they wouldn't take her up on the offer. Few tried to interfere with what had become, very nearly, solely Sam's province.

"You want help, Major?" Graham asked her. A nerve in his cheek was twitching which meant he was teasing her.

She shook her head, chuckling softly. "Not this time, Lieutenant. Captain?"

Gene shook his blond head and backed off, holding his hands up, playfully warding her off. "Not me, Major! Jack of all trades, master of none, that's me. You know computers make me nervous."

"Bullshit," Sam muttered under her breath.

Gene laughed, used to the banter they had developed between them.

Sam completed a string of code, saved it to the new program and moved back from the keyboard, silently holding out her right arm for inspection.

"Yeah, yeah, so we've gotta wait 'till we get ours," Gene muttered with only half-serious impatience. "Has it kicked in yet?" He and Graham plunked down on nearby chairs, both of them still staring at her arm.

The attention was a little disconcerting. Sam pulled herself back to the keyboard and started on a new section of code, talking as she typed. "I haven't noticed anything, but I haven't been wearing it all that long. If it's going to affect us as dramatically as Anise expects I doubt it'll happen all at once. I'd guess it'll kind of creep up on us slowly. It wouldn't surprise me if... What?"

Flicking her gaze to the side for an instant, Sam saw both men staring at her open-mouthed. It wasn't until she looked back at the monitor and lowered her eyes to the line of code she was typing at the bottom of the screen that she noticed the blur of her hands on the keys.

"Wow!" Abruptly she stopped typing and instinctively pushed away from the desk, almost falling out of her chair. "Oh, my god!" Laughing in shock and delight — and attracting the attention of everyone in the control room — Sam turned to Graham and Gene. "Did you see that? Of course you did! That's amazing. I wonder what else I'm going to be able to do?" Sam knew she was babbling but didn't care. God, this was fantastic! It looked like the armbands were going to be a big success. "I'll have to go down to the gym later, see if I can't beat your record on the stepper, Wilson."

The compact captain was shorter than a lot of the men on the base and got correspondingly ribbed for it, but no one did that seriously more than once. Gene had a way of luring any would-be tormentor into some kind of contest of speed and always, always beat them hands-down. Most kept their gibes to themselves from then on, or became much more friendly. And he hadn't made any enemies doing that either, or at least not yet. Sam secretly envied him his physical turn of speed, but this time, _she_ was going to beat _him_.

"Only 'till I get one of those," he chuckled, gesturing at the armband.

He was probably right. "Hm," Sam grunted in reply. She was still looking forward to the look on Gene's face when she outdid him in the gym...just once. Returning to her work and her incredibly pleasing super-fast typing, she said nothing more on the subject.

* * *

Lieutenant Jennifer Astor was proud of her achievements as part of Stargate Command. She had a sterling record from her time with SG-14 and felt privileged to have been chosen for SG-1 when the front line operation moved off-world, to the Alpha base. Colonel Makepeace, who replaced Colonel O'Neill as team leader of the new SG-1, placed a premium on physical fitness, so Jenn increased her usual routine of an hour in the SGA gym to at least a couple of hours, every day. Sometimes she set herself against Gene Wilson as they were often in the gym at the same time, and since joining the team Simmons had joined their friendly competition. She never competed with Major Carter, though. For one thing, Jenn didn't think it was appropriate, now the major led the team, but there wasn't much opportunity to compete with Carter anyway. The major liked to get her regime over and done with, first thing in the morning or at the beginning of her shift, and Jenn rarely saw Carter here in the gym.

So Jenn was very surprised to see her in there at 0300; and what she was doing...! _My god, is that the armband working? That's incredible!_ Jenn's interest in the alien technology increased tenfold as she watched Major Carter on the abs trainer. The major's movements were a blur and even the Tok'Ra, Anise, who was standing by taking note of the readings on her recording device looked astonished.

Usually, Jennifer began working out as soon as she got to the gym, but she couldn't help herself. She sat down on a weightlifting bench and just watched her CO work out.

Jenn couldn't tell exactly what happened: it was all so fast. Something very large flew past her head and crashed into the gym wall. Major Carter's blur of movement ceased abruptly. Her heart-rate suddenly increasing, Jenn registered that the crossbar of the abs-trainer had become detached from the tension strap and flew off with such force it had literally bounced off the floor. Just a slightly different angle and it would have taken Jenn with it.

A marine from another SG team — he must have already been here, working out, though Jenn hadn't noticed him — was already on the horn to the infirmary. Major Carter sat perfectly still for a moment. Then she announced, "Ow!" and began rubbing her thigh.

"Major Carter, are you injured?" Anise went over to the major and was inspecting what appeared to be some slight bruising on the tops of her thighs. "I'm fine," Carter replied, getting up from the equipment's seat and going over to where the crossbar was leaning drunkenly against the wall. Jennifer followed her and gasped to see it. The bar was bent at both ends for almost ninety degrees, like a drawn longbow. Considering how fast Carter must have been doing those reps, she might have broken both her legs when the tension snapped. Worried, Jenn looked at Carter again, but she was obviously fine. The bruises on her thighs were already fading.

"My god! Major, that's unbelievable!"

Carter turned to her, a huge grin on her face. "I know! Bet you can't wait to get yours, huh?"

Jenn continued to stare open-mouthed, as the major calmly walked over to the stepper and began her reps on there. This was unreal!

"Major Carter! What's been going on here?"

It was Doctor Warner, with Colonel O'Neill hard on his heels. Astor stood to attention automatically, but the attention of both men was firmly glued to Carter. Carter continued with her steps, apparently unaware of their presence. Her movements were a blur. Anise glanced up from her data pad, but she, too, paid little attention to the men.

"Major Carter," O'Neill snapped.

No response.

He strode over to the stepper. "_Major_ Carter!" O'Neill barked. That tone would have scared the hell out of Jenn if he were talking to her. "Stop what you're doing right now!"

The blur continued for a few moments more, and then slowed to a stop. "Hi, sir," Carter said brightly. It was as if she only just noticed he was there. "Look," she continued, jumping off the machine and going back to the bent crossbar on the floor. "I pulled it right off and bent it like this! It should have broken both my legs, but look!" Spreading her hands at hip-height, she demonstrated the now complete lack of bruising on her legs. "I barely even felt it!"

O'Neill swept his gaze around the room and it landed on Jennifer. Right when she didn't want to be noticed. "The major said 'Ow,' sir," she volunteered. _Oh, great, Astor. You sound like a village idiot._

"Really?" he said. "Doc?"

Warner looked astonished. "It makes sense, Colonel. The speed we just witnessed Major Carter is capable of...just the speed alone should inflict serious damage on the normal human body. The punishment on the joints, the heat generated by the muscles...it would tear the body apart."

"So..." Clearly, the colonel wanted the facts spelled out for him.

"So, the armband isn't only increasing her speed and strength. It must also improve the body's ability to protect itself from injury, and to heal itself."

"Quite something, isn't it, Colonel?" Carter asked, her tone suddenly serious. The look she was giving the colonel was heavy with meaning.

Jenn was momentarily puzzled by the sudden shift in both their moods. Was there something about this experiment she hadn't been told? Moving away toward the gym equipment she filed that question away in her mind. Something to think about later. There seemed to be more going on here than she realised.

Major Carter was still talking at a hundred miles an hour. "It really is worth going the distance with these things, Colonel. Wouldn't you agree...sir?"

There was an almost wheedling tone in the major's voice that Jennifer had heard only once or twice before. It meant the major realised she was on shaky ground with O'Neill. Or perhaps she wasn't certain which way he was going to jump.

Colonel O'Neill's narrowed eyes regarded Carter for a few moments, then he nodded slowly. "Yeah. Okay. Anise..." He waited for Anise to approach him. "In the morning you can fit the rest of SG-1 with the armbands and go ahead with your trials. _However_..."

His not-unexpected conditional brought Jenn up short. She held her breath, waiting. God, she so wanted to get one of those armbands for herself!

Anise returned the colonel's look with barely-concealed impatience. The Colonel let the silent snub pass and met her impatience with his own, steely gaze. Jenn blinked and refocused on O'Neill. His face changed subtly, the crease between his brows deepening, his mouth a little harder, the lines around his eyes seeming to shift. The scuttlebutt around the SGC intimated that Jack O'Neill was a dangerous man, or could be. Looking at him in that moment, Jennifer believed it.

"I want _full_ reports, Anise, in detail, on my desk as soon as you have results from _any_ tests you perform on my people. With complete copies to Doctor Warner, whether he has been present for the tests or not. And if there are any concerns over these experiments, they will cease immediately and we will reassess the situation. Is that _perfectly_ clear?"

A short nod from Anise. O'Neill narrowed his gaze, holding hers. She nodded again, more slowly, although she lost none of her impatience. Then she looked down at the data pad she held and seemed to become immersed in whatever it was telling her. The Colonel cocked an eyebrow then turned away from Anise, dismissing her as effectively as she had him.

"Lieutenant Astor, with me," he ordered.

Jennifer leapt up, surprised. "Yes, sir." She followed him out of the gym.

O'Neill slowed his pace once they were out of earshot of the gym. "Looking forward to trying it yourself now you've seen what they can do, Lieutenant?"

"Yes, sir!" Jennifer couldn't hide her enthusiasm.

He stopped walking and looked at her. "You look like you haven't slept for a week. Is anything wrong, Astor?"

"No, sir," she answered automatically. Then, unwilling to lie to him, added, "I do have trouble sleeping sometimes. I always have."

"In that case, stop by the infirmary and get something to help you. Wiping yourself out in the gym at this time of night isn't the answer. I don't like the thought of you taking part in this experiment if you're less than one hundred percent."

"Colonel O'Neill, I'm not sick..."

"I'm not saying you are. I'm saying it looks to me like you're headed that way. Take care of yourself before you force the Doc to take you off duty. Understood?"

His look was kindly, and Jennifer nodded. "Understood, Colonel."

"Then you're dismissed."

Jennifer was surprised that the colonel had even noticed her. That he would take a personal interest in her health was...flattering. That he could see so clearly why she had been in the gym was disconcerting. She said all the right things, but the not-so-subtle intimation that she might be kept out of the experiment was enough to send her scurrying to the infirmary.

Thankfully Doctor Warner wasn't there. His deputy listened to her explain she was there on the colonel's orders, checked her file and offered her a mild sedative — which Jenn had no intention of taking, but that wasn't the point. She thanked him and headed out to her quarters.

As she headed out of the main building she saw the colonel again, disappearing into his lodge. No doubt he was headed back to whichever game he had been watching before the major's accident interrupted him. 0330 or not, the colonel was becoming known for being up, if not around, at least until this time in the morning when he was on the later shift and came on duty — although technically he was never _off _duty — at 1000. Which made his advice to Jenn more than a little hypocritical, but then, she reminded herself sternly, it wasn't her place to judge the colonel.


	5. Burden Of Command

Though the sleeping pill stayed on her nightstand, Jennifer did feel better for a night's rest. She ate breakfast in the commissary and found quite a crowd there. When the colonel got a new set of tapes from Earth, word got round quickly. 

Jenn grinned when she heard the colonel's voice over the PA. Although everyone received regular reports from Earth — news, periodicals, the latest movies, whatever each person was most interested in — many people preferred to hear the games results the morning after Colonel O'Neill collected a "package". It was so much more fun than just getting the scores. He announced the results over the PA at breakfast and lunch and they were always embellished with the colonel's opinion of this team or that player. _Should have been put out to grass **centuries** ago, the Mets kicked their asses all the way to 639..._ (or whichever planet had been giving them trouble that week). _Griggson could've got another thirty points that game. He played like a walrus with toothache, **god** knows what they've been feeding that boy for breakfast..._

Mmm. Much more fun than a dry list of scores.

After breakfast the colonel's entertainment for the troops was quickly forgotten as she hurried to the infirmary. Warner quizzed her on her sleeping patterns, and Jenn tried to answer honestly, praying he wouldn't block her from the experiment.

"If there's any possibility you might be unwell or already under stress I would hope you'd have the sense to disqualify yourself from this, Lieutenant," Warner told her.

Jenn swallowed. "I hope so too, sir," she answered, mentally crossing her fingers.

He met her eyes for a moment, then nodded. "Very well. Anise is waiting for you."

A few moments later she was waiting on a medi-bed while Anise retrieved an armband from her case. Anise approached her with the armband and Jenn held out her right arm. She had been looking forward to this moment but now it was here she felt a little wary. Major Carter's experience suggested the armband would take over her entire body, and this was alien technology. The thought of all the things she would be able to do was exciting, but the possibility of losing control — as the major did in the gym — was scary. She was used to being in complete control of her body. She winced a little as the armband attached itself to her flesh.

Anise suggested Jennifer begin her day with some exercise and she was happy to go along with that.

It wasn't long before she was joined in the gym by her two male team-mates and Anise. Jennifer stayed where she was, continuing with her usual exercise routine. She felt nothing from the armband as yet. While she worked, she watched the two men, both of them unconsciously flirting with Anise and exchanging the occasional smirk. _Schoolboys..._ Jennifer shook her head. She couldn't really blame them. Anise was a striking figure and she didn't exactly discourage the men. Although...

Watching them a little more closely, Jennifer realised Anise didn't exactly _en_courage them, either. A Tok'Ra was two people in one body, after all. Perhaps it was her host, Freya, who responded to the two men. Jennifer tried to figure out how that might work, but she didn't know enough about the Tok'Ra to even guess. What if Freya had a boyfriend and Anise didn't like him? Could get complicated real fast. Maybe you had to be Tok'Ra to understand. Well, Jenn wasn't about to go to those lengths for an answer. No, right now the armband was...

* * *

...Beginning to make it's presence felt. The leg extensor was bouncing off her leg and she added another 20 kilograms to the weight. And she had done...how many reps? The readout showed too many for the amount of time she had been on the equipment. Twenty minutes on the treadmill, then ten on the cross trainer. Crunches and stretches, free weights and now leg extensions. It had taken just about an hour for the armband to kick in.

Wilson and Simmons had been watching her performance after their own armbands were fitted, but when nothing happened immediately they quickly got bored and began their own regimes. Wilson was on the bench press and Simmons on the stepper. Major Carter was...

* * *

...Major Carter was on her way out. She shared a smirk with Jennifer but she already had that look in her eyes that meant her mind was on her work.

"Bored already, Major?" Jenn grinned as she added another fifty kilos to the equipment weight.

"You know me, Jenn..." she murmured, her smirk becoming almost mischievous as she headed out of the gym.

"Have fun," Jenn called after her.

"I will."

Returning to her leg extensions, finally beginning to feel a bit of a burn, Jennifer looked over at Simmons. He was getting faster and Wilson's arm movements on the bench press were increasing in speed, too, not to mention he probably needed more weights on there. Or soon would.

Both men were grinning as they began to realise what was happening to them. Anise looked surprised, presumably at how quickly the armbands were working for the rest of SG-1.

So. Fun was being had all round. Jenn felt her grin get a little wider.

* * *

That alarm had to be SG-7 on their way home. Hopefully they hadn't run into too many Jaffa. Jack pushed the report from Doctor Warner back into its folder and made his way down into the stargate control room. He entered just as Major Finnegan emerged casually from the event horizon. The other three members of the team came through behind him as Finnegan raised his left hand and made an "Okay, successful" gesture in the colonel's direction.

Jack leaned forward to the PA microphone. "Good work, Major. Debrief in thirty."

Smiling, Finnegan gave a thumbs up in acknowledgement. "Yes, Sir," he called across the room.

Good. No injuries. With luck that meant they'd encountered no trouble this time. Jack turned to the technician on duty. "Bergman, how's the diagnostic coming?"

The tech looked up as his fingers continued to fly over the keyboard. "Okay so far, Colonel. We still haven't found the cause of the glitch, though."

"Hmm. Well, keep it up; you'll find it, Lieutenant."

Jack returned to his office, stretching the kinks out of his shoulders as he walked. Damn those new computer settings. He wished Carter hadn't altered them when her mission schedule made it impossible for her to test-run everything thoroughly. Still Carter knew what she was doing with the gate. Now she was base-side for a while he would make sure she got on the problem. Being X amount of times stronger and faster than a human should mean she'd find the problem in nothing flat, right?

"Colonel O'Neill, I wish to make my report on Major Carter."

Anise...waiting for him outside his office. Oh, goody. Jack stifled an urge to groan. "Anise." Jack unlocked the office and held the door open for her. "What's the news?" he asked, opening the folder so he could refer to Warner's report, too.

Anise glance down at her data pad and began her own report. "Major Carter now has at least ten times the strength of a normal human. Her speed in physical activities of all kinds is comparable with the increase in her strength. All of her cognitive abilities have increased also, though perhaps not to the same extent. Also, the other members of SG-1 are beginning to show a similar increase in their abilities." Throughout her short speech, Anise maintained her usual even, chilly tones. She handed a single handwritten page to O'Neill across the desk.

He took it without comment, lining it up alongside Warner's (considerably more detailed) report. Nodding, he chewed on his lower lip for a moment. "These results are very impressive, Anise."

"Yes, Colonel. I believe we can conclude the first stage of the trials within the next twenty four hours, at which point..."

"_At which point_ we will reassess the situation to see where we go from there," Jack finished for her. Although Anise was clearly less than happy with the way he kept insisting on having the last word on her little experiment, the scientist said nothing further, only nodding her head in a way that seemed only just short of rudeness. Turning on her heel, she stalked out of his office.

Leaning back a little from the desk, Jack sighed. He held Warner's report up between his hands, re-reading it. Anise's confirmation of the way the armbands affected his people was exciting. If it could increase a person's strength that much, if it enhanced the body's ability to heal, then Sam's original projection was looking much more hopeful. If this technology could help Daniel...

_Reality check, O'Neill_. They still didn't know how the armbands did it. That was the point Warner had stressed in his report. Increased activity in the internal systems of all of SG-1...high levels of adrenaline, higher body temperature and increased carbohydrate intake. Nothing dangerous as yet, but Warner's carefully neutral tone gave away his reservations.

Jack was no physician, nor any kind of a scientist. He didn't have to be to hear the but in the report. He sighed again, and picked up the phone.

"Put me through to Doctor Warner's quarters, please." Warner, having been up most of the night, was now off-duty, but he wasn't likely to be sleeping yet. "Doctor? I've read your report, and Anise has just delivered one of her own. I'm happy with both of your findings so far, unless there's more you want to say off the record?...Okay. Well, keep up with what she's doing and like I said before, let me know immediately if you have reason to be concerned." Jack waited for Warner's acknowledgement, pressed disconnect and spoke again. "Yeah, connect me to Carter's lab, willya?"

A sudden, loud squawk from the earpiece had Jack holding the phone away from his head in surprise. Then, "_Major_! This is your commanding officer speaking. If I hear language like that again... Oh, I see. Well, Sam, I'm sorry to be your tenth caller in as many minutes, but it's not like you to be that antsy. Maybe you'd better get yourself checked out by... Carter? I'd appreciate being allowed to get a word in edgewise here... Thank you. Right. Now. The changes you made to the dialling computer last week? ...No, not the dialling settings, the background stuff you said you had to do... Yes, those. Bergman says we're still getting little glitches. He's running diagnostics on the system but I would appreciate it if you could come down and fix whatever's wrong with the damned thing... Yes, that would be immediately, Carter. I don't want the little glitches to become big ones. If you don't mind. Thank you."

Shaking his head, O'Neill rose from his desk. He had never heard language like that come from Carter's mouth, not ever, and it wasn't as if they were strangers. They'd been though some high-stress situations together. Ten calls in ten minutes didn't qualify as unprecedented stress, especially for Carter. She was usually the soul of patience on the base.

Perhaps Warner was right to be concerned about the emotional and psychological effects of the armbands. If she was like this now, what sort of condition might she be in at the end of the day? Jack resolved to find some time to observe these trials himself. He definitely wanted to get a real feel for what was happening to SG-1.

That would have to be later, though. For now, he had SG-7 to debrief. Hopefully they would have good news on that Jaffa weapons stash...

* * *

"I thought these things were supposed to make them strong and fast, not turn them into idiots!"

Jack saw Warner take an involuntary step back and reminded himself he wasn't angry with the doctor.

Warner, seemingly afraid to meet Jack's eyes, stared at his notes. "Their hormone levels have increased dramatically, Colonel, giving an effect similar to intoxication. And I'm afraid that's not the worst of it..."

_It gets worse?_ Jack took a deep breath. "Alright, Doc. Hit me." When Warner hesitated, still concentrating on his notes, Jack snapped, "They want to take over the base? Carter's after my job? What?"

"I wish it were something so trivial, Colonel." Warner met his eyes again.

The Doc's grim tone took the wind out of Jack's sarcasm. This was something _serious_. "Tell me."

"The human body was never meant to take this sort of stress. Apart from the elevated body temperature and dangerous amounts of adrenaline in all their systems, all four members of SG-1 are showing signs of impending multiple organ failure."

Jack didn't need to be a doctor to know that was bad. "Are you telling me they could _die_?"

"The virus acts as a catalyst which enables them to change in the way they have, but it's causing changes that are too much for their bodies to handle. There are treatments I can try, but, frankly, Colonel, if I can't find a way to combat the virus, yes, they may die."

"I want those armbands removed, now. Get on — "

"I'm sorry, Colonel, I've already tried that. The armbands won't come off and unless you want to order involuntary amputation, I have no solution as yet."

_Oh, god..._ Jack was lost for words for a moment, processing what this could mean for Carter and the others. He authorised this experiment. If she...if they died, he would be responsible. He was not going to let that happen. Jack turned away from Warner abruptly, picking up the internal phone. "Have someone find Anise. I want her and SG-1 brought to my office, under guard. _Now_."

He waited.

Warner waited, the sound of him shuffling his notes the only thing breaking the silence.

Four minutes later, the phone buzzed. He answered it, and listened. He was none too pleased with what he heard. "Oh, for crying out loud! I want them here, NOW, Lieutenant." He slammed the phone down — a petty gesture, but it made him feel marginally better.

"Colonel?" Warner ventured.

Jack turned back to Warner. "You'd better get back to the infirmary, Doc; thanks to our flagship team, you have casualties waiting for you. There was a fight on the training ground."

"The training ground? But how did they get outside? They were confined to—"

"Not confined enough. Dismissed, Doctor."

The four members of SG-1 were escorted into the office as Warner hurried out. Jack waited until they were all in the room, then nodded to the two SFs, dismissing them both. He turned to the recalcitrant SG-1. Only Carter met his eyes.

He let them wait, his gaze taking them in one at a time. Astor's fingers played restlessly with the armband she still wore. Simmons was shifting from one foot to the other. Wilson stood at attention, his eyes straight ahead. Jack thought about asking what the hell they thought they'd been doing, but rejected the idea. He wasn't likely to get a straight answer.

"Colonel," Carter began.

"Carter, I don't want to hear it," he snapped. "From what Doc Warner tells me, none of you are entirely responsible for your actions at the moment. Which means you might, and I mean _might_ get out of this with your asses intact. This _experiment_ is over, as of now, and the four of you will be confined until a way can be found to remove the armbands." And if Anise didn't like it, Jack was going to enjoy kicking her ass...metaphorically speaking, of course.

_Speak of the devil..._ Jack thought. Anise opened his office door without knocking and barged in. Except...no, it wasn't Anise. It was her host, Freya. It was strange how the woman's face changed with the quieter, more co-operative personality of her human host. You couldn't really mistake one for the other. Jack guessed Anise knew she was in trouble and was hoping the more diplomatic Freya could smooth things over. Well, she had _one chance_ to tell him what he wanted to hear.

"Colonel," Freya began.

"Yes? What?" Short and sharp; she'd better bite the bullet before he used it to shoot her.

"A message has just come through from the Tok'Ra High Council. Based on my last report of the progress of the experiment, they have suggested SG-1 put the armbands to practical use."

"Woo-hoo!" Wilson burst out, then, as Jack turned his arctic gaze to the captain, mumbled, "Sorry, sir, but we all think..."

"Enough, Captain!" Jack had to bite down hard to keep his temper in check.

He turned back to Freya. Anise was letting (making?) Freya do the talking because she had finally bought a clue that she might get further with honey than with vinegar. Fine. He could play that. _Here, Anise, have some more rope. Let's see how well you can hang yourself with it._

"And what does your High Council suggest?" he asked her, neither his tone nor his expression giving anything away.

"The Council just received some information regarding a new battleship Apophis is building."

"Uh-huh," Jack responded, already knowing where this was going. Anise might have a few centuries on him, but she hadn't spent ten years in Special Ops. He had her over a barrel. Jack fought to keep his grim satisfaction from showing in his eyes, but he couldn't resist throwing out a clue, just to see how blind she really was. "_Just_ got this information, huh? You didn't know anything about it before now?"

He saw her hesitate for just the briefest moment and Jack let a hint of a predatory smile curve the corners of his mouth. She knew where he was going and was fighting to come out of this without losing face. Or without losing whatever it was the Tok'Ra _really_ wanted. Well, that was tough, because no one, least of all some snake, was going to play him for a fool and put lives in danger. He was aware of SG-1 listening avidly and hoped they would take a lesson from this, too. _Let's get this out into the open, shall we, boys and girls?_

"Our internal attempt at sabotage has already failed. However, based on our intelligence, a special covert team could — "

_Gotcha!_

Freya stumbled over a few words, trying desperately to salvage something out of the situation but it was too late and she knew it.

"That's what this whole _experiment_ has been about, hasn't it, Anise? You couldn't get past whatever defences our old friend Apophis has around this new ship, and those armbands don't work for you, so you decided to get some stupid-but-oh-so-compatible humans to do the work for you. Don't bother," he added as she opened her mouth to protest again. "I knew the truth as soon as you told me about the message. I've been around the Tok'Ra long enough to know when you're trying to mess with us, so you can just save it! The answer is _no_!"

He was more angry than he'd been in a long time. Unless these armbands could be short-circuited somehow or removed, Carter and the others were going to die, and if that happened he suspected Anise would just enter a footnote in that damned data pad of hers and just move on to the next lot of guinea pigs. And it was all a goddamn set-up!

"Anise, dare I assume you are familiar with Doctor Warner's most recent report on this experiment?"

"I am, Colonel." It was still Freya talking. She at least had the grace to look a little ashamed.

"Good. Then you will focus your attention on stopping whatever it is these goddamned armbands are doing to my people, or on removing them altogether. And once you've done that, I want you off this planet."

"Colonel..."

"I don't want to hear it. You listen to _me_. If any member of SG-1 dies because of this, you can tell your Tok'Ra High-and-Mighty Council that I will be speaking to my superiors and recommending in the strongest possible terms that we break off all treaty negotiations with you people immediately."

"You cannot—"

"I can." This time Jack didn't raise his voice. He didn't need to. His anger was white hot and quietly deadly. The Tok'Ra woman flinched and Jack felt more than a little satisfaction that he had finally shut her up.

He opened the door, signalling to one of the SFs waiting outside. "Sergeant, I want this woman escorted back to the lab she was working in and she is not to be allowed to leave until there are some positive results removing or reversing the armbands. Is that clear?" That last was directed to Anise, whose wrathful expression made it clear the snake was back in play.

She barely gave him her usual curt nod before she turned to leave, flanked by the SFs. However, it seemed Freya had one last card to play because she stopped at the door and turned back to him. "Colonel, if you believe nothing else, please believe this. If Apophis is allowed to complete this battleship it will assure his dominance over the Goa'uld, your planet, and the rest of this galaxy." She spoke more sincerely than he had so far heard from her. Jack almost believed her.

"I am sure the Tok'Ra High Council will be disappointed by your decision. I have downloaded everything we know about the construction of this battleship into your base's main computer. I hope you will review the data and reconsider." Then she left, before he could demand to know who gave her access to the main computer, an air of superiority trailing like a vapour behind her.

_Never trust a snake_, Jack reminded himself, wondering why in hell he let himself forget it. _Never trust a goddamned Goa'uld!_

Carter chose that moment to speak up. "Colonel, wouldn't it be better if we—"

"No, it would not, _Major_." Damn it, how was he going to stop Carter and the rest of SG-1 going off the deep end? Not that they hadn't already... It seemed likely that being around Anise was only going to feed their enthusiasm for the project and that was the last thing he needed. Then again, he couldn't expect her to make progress without contact with at least one of them.

Jack would have to take a look at this data on Apophis' new ship. But the only thing he was going to reconsider was putting all of his very breakable eggs in the same basket with a snake. Silencing Carter with a glare, he summoned another couple of SFs to his office. He ordered them to escort SG-1 to an isolation room, where they were to be confined until he or Warner ordered otherwise. SG-1 slouched out, sulky-faced. Then he called Warner to warn him Anise was on her way and to issue some more orders.

Alone, Jack sank down into a chair, rubbing his face with his hands. What else could go wrong today? He hated being taken for a ride...and she had done that very effectively. Fooled Carter, too, he remembered: she had been thinking the same as him when this thing started.

He rose with a sigh and headed out to the stargate control room. There was a shipment due in from the SGC and that was always an opportunity to exchange messages with the folks back home. Find out how everyone was doing. Daniel, for example...

Dammit! If only that woman never found the damned armbands. Trust the Tok'Ra to offer him hope with one hand and snatch it away with the other.

It didn't even occur to him how unfair he was being. Jack just knew that, where Daniel was concerned, the promise of the armbands made him feel like he could _do something_ for the first time in far too long. For Daniel to go through the rest of his life a cripple — and Jack bore some responsibility for that, too: he commanded that mission, he let Daniel come back for him _and_ he went through the gate without checking Daniel was still with him — it was just wrong.

Until that moment, Jack had secretly harboured the hope that somehow Daniel would recover his full health and strength. He had taken this command believing it...and, he suddenly realised, so had Carter. Daniel was "bounce-back-boy", after all. Now, the much more depressing truth confronted him without mercy.

It wasn't going to happen. Daniel was never going to rejoin SG-1, nor any SG team. Could he even remain part of the SGC, long-term? Fraiser reported he was making progress: slow but steady. Even so...

Jack had known veterans with far less serious injuries, who had been forced to retire. If that happened to Daniel, well, the Air Force would take care of him, financially, but the man would go nuts with boredom and frustration. Retirement — especially so young — suited Daniel no better than it did Jack.

Icy fingers clutched at his chest for a moment, before he ruthlessly pushed the sadness away. If he was going to be talking to the SGC in a few minutes, he couldn't afford to reveal his real feelings to anyone. Tugging his tie a little more tightly into place, and putting on his best neutral expression, Jack entered the control room.

* * *

"Unauthorised stargate activation! Colonel O'Neill to the control room!"

Partway through his meal, Jack heard the gate alarm and was on his feet and running before the summons was done. He burst into the control room and was confronted by the blast screen blocking his view of the gate. Bergman was tapping away frantically at the dialling computer. He was the only one in the room who was conscious: three others lay on the ground or slumped over workstations.

Automatically, Jack grabbed a phone and called Doc Warner to the control room. Then, "What the _hell_ is going on?" he demanded, rounding on Bergman. Even as he spoke, Jack had a sinking feeling he damned well knew _exactly_ what was going on.

"We were locked out of the embarkation level, sir," Bergman explained rapidly. "I've only just got here myself. I'm trying to shut the gate down."

"Who opened it?"

"Unknown, sir. I'm sorry."

"Don't apologise, just get it shut down!"

"I'm locked out, sir, but...oh! Too late, Colonel. The computer has been released and is rebooting."

_Oh, crap._ Jack looked up and hit the control for the blast screen. By the time the screen raised, the gate room was empty and the stargate itself was dormant.

"Where did they go?"

Bergman looked up at him, shaking his head. "When the computer rebooted we lost the address, sir. I don't know how to get it back. Perhaps Major Carter can..."

"Oh, I think we'll find Major Carter is no longer on the base, Lieutenant."

"Er...yes, sir." Bergman answered diplomatically.

On any other day that tone would have put a grin on Jack's face. He was still staring into the empty embarkation room. He had read the Tok'Ra specs on this new super-ship. Most of it was incomprehensible, but he understood enough to be worried. Worried about what would happen if Apophis _did_ finish building that battleship, but more worried about the odds SG-1 were facing.

"Colonel O'Neill!"

Okay, that was officially the _last_ voice Jack wanted to hear right now. Turning, he saw Freya — oh, yes, definitely Freya; in grovel mode again, are we? — entering the control room right behind Warner.

Warner moved quickly to examine one of the unconscious techs. "What happened here?"

"My guess is SG-1," Jack said grimly, his eyes turning to Freya. He advanced on her and felt a thrill of satisfaction to see her fighting an urge to back away. "Am I right?" He could see the answer in her eyes. "SG-1 have gone from stupid to suicidal under the influence of those damn things!"

"Which means the good news just turned very bad," Warner said.

"What news?" Jack demanded. Could things go even more wrong?

"Anise's biosensors detected an antibody in their systems, Colonel."

"An antibody to the virus the armbands use as a catalyst. Judging from the last data I received before they went through the stargate, this will effectively neutralise the armbands." Freya avoided Jack's eyes. "It seems the Ataniks never found a solution for this problem." Freya waited for a response from O'Neill; he granted her only a silence which became more and more awkward for her. Eventually she resumed her halting explanation. "Once the immunity to the armbands spread among the Atanik warriors, the technology would have been useless to them."

"So, what you're saying is these armbands are going to...what? Come off on their own?"

"I'm afraid so, Colonel." Freya looked scared.

"Leaving SG-1 out there in the middle of a highly dangerous, Jaffa infested Goa'uld 'nest', with an advantage that could disappear any second! Is that what you're saying?"

"Colonel, I really don't think..."

"_No_! You don't _think_, do you?" Jack snapped back at her. "Get out of my sight before I do something we'll both regret." He didn't wait for her, but turned to Warner. "How long?"

"I can't say for certain. I haven't been able to judge the effects as precisely as Anise. Sir, if it's any consolation, I don't think Anise anticipated this turn of events."

Jack cut his hand through the air in front of him. "I don't care. She knew enough. Are these people going to be okay?"

"Yes, sir."

Jack gave Warner a weary smile of thanks and turned away. He could trust Warner to handle this much of the situation. Running his hands raggedly through his hair, Jack made a decision. No matter how much he trusted SG-1 to handle themselves in the field, he couldn't let them face this one without backup. Nor could he risk another SG team on a planet with the defences Anise's files described.

He picked up the phone again. Dialled a number. "Red alert, Carl. My office. Now."

* * *

"Okay, Jack. So what you're saying is the kids got their hands on the 'good stuff', figuratively speaking, and they've decided to raid the piggy bank. Except the piggy in question happens to be Fort Knox."

"That's about it, Carl. Just...bring them back alive, that's all I ask. Don't take any stupid risks. I need you as much as I need them. None of you are expendable, okay?"

Miller nodded. There was no need for Jack to say anything else. Carl worked best without specific orders, and Jack knew if anyone could pull this off, it would be Carl. He wasn't superhuman, but he was the best there was in the field.

In the aftermath of the plague on Earth, when Thor confronted Jack with evidence that SGC personnel were stealing Asgard technology from other protected worlds, Jack employed Carl Miller to get to the bottom of the accusations. Seeing the evidence, the thought crossed Jack's mind that Hammond had been involved behind his back, but Jack couldn't believe that of his former CO. Not a chance. Which led him to one, obvious conclusion.

Maybourne. NID.

But he didn't have any proof, and the situation on Earth was desperate. Jack took a risk and made a deal with Thor: help us out now, and we'll clean house, whatever it takes. He was lucky the President agreed with his proposed solution.

That was where Carl Miller came in.

Jack knew Miller from his days in special ops and Miller's single defining characteristic was his dogged determination when confronted with a puzzle. Miller was the first, and only, person Jack thought of when it came to ‘cleaning house' at the SGC: he had a military background but was no longer subject to the military chain of command _and_ he was a man who wouldn't stop, wouldn't give up or waver until he found answers. He also had the subtlety necessary to do the job on the QT.

It took a Presidential request to persuade him to work for the USAF again; Jack thought it was possible that the inclusion of his name as part of that request had a lot to do with Carl's acceptance. He hoped so. They invented a job for Miller at Stargate Alpha: _Civilian Chief of Security_. The job title meant nothing; in reality, Miller was there to track down a traitor. Jack gave him a free hand and any resources he wanted. Miller delivered — as Jack knew he would — over and above expectations.

The scope of the NID operation shocked everyone. An off-world team. Makepeace. Hundreds of items of technology stolen from their allies. They couldn't conclusively prove that Maybourne was the Earth connection, but Miller had enough evidence to effectively ruin what was left of Maybourne's career. Suspicion was tantamount to guilt, in the NID.

Job done, Miller could have written his own cheque. He could have asked for anything at all. When Jack pointed that out to him, all he'd said was, "Hell, Colonel, you've got everything I want right here."

That was something Jack certainly understood. The stargate was hard to walk away from. Miller's expertise really was useful to them and his civilian status combined with military background had some advantages. Jack would have given him a place on an SG team in a second, but Miller hadn't asked for it. He might in the future, Jack suspected. Carl wouldn't make that request until he was convinced he could excel at the job. At present, he was still "Chief of Security" for Stargate Alpha, in charge of the technical side of security, not the troops. He was also Jack's ace-in-the-hole for unexpected situations like this.

If Teal'c were at the SGA, Jack would have sent them both after SG-1. As it was, he had to send Carl alone.

Jack didn't need to warn Carl to be careful, he was just covering his ass — or his conscience — by saying that. These things were understood between them. In fact, if anyone could have seen the wry grins on both their faces in that moment, they would have no inkling of the seriousness of their conversation.

"On your way, Carl," Jack told him, clapping him on the shoulder.

Carl sketched a humorously quick salute, turned, and headed quickly out of the office.

Jack watched him go. _Bring them back alive, Carl. Please._

* * *

It was a mess. Apophis' battleship was history. Mission accomplished. Complete snake subjugation had been put on hold for a while.

And SG-1 was one member down, again.

It was a mess. If not the mission itself, it was the overflow. The aftermath. The Atanik technology was not only completely useless but a potentially fatal liability. A valuable member of the SGA had been lost. As for the Tok'Ra alliance...as far as Jack was concerned, that was history.

The remaining members of SG-1 had been released from the infirmary, but not to active duty; all of them were suffering from some sort of withdrawal. They were all grieving for the loss of their team-mate as well. Carl was giving himself seven kinds of hell for being unable to get her out with the others and Jack...

Jack couldn't put into words what he was feeling. In a few minutes he had to debrief the survivors. He wasn't sure he could face it. It was never easy to deal with the death of someone under his command, but this...

His gaze fell on an object on his desk. Fell and stayed there for all of five seconds. Then he acted.

* * *

The crash could be heard all the way to the gate room.

Carl, waiting in the briefing room, flinched a little at the sound. He, at least, expected it. It did occur to him to wonder which of the hard objects on his old friend's desk it had been. The bronze eagle and the granite paperweight both had considerable weight to them.

It had to be the eagle, come to think of it. The paperweight was a piece of Minnesota; it wasn't likely O'Neill would touch that. No, it had to be the eagle. The symbol of the United States of America; the country O'Neill served and which sometimes asked the impossible of him. Sometimes made him accept the unacceptable. The eagle.

So, had the casualty been the mirror or the glass-fronted bookcases?

Never mind. The footsteps approaching the briefing room were undoubtedly O'Neill's: time to concentrate.

* * *

"I set my charges as we planned and was on my way back when the armband seemed to stop working." Simmons was pale but focussed as he gave his report. "I passed out. When I came to, Miller was carrying me. When we reached the entrance, he ordered me to wait there. Miller went back into the ship but the Jaffa must've realised we were in there."

"Just tell me what happened, Lieutenant," O'Neill said. "Save the speculations for later."

"Yes, sir. Well, something, or someone, activated every forcefield on the ship. Miller couldn't get past the barrier, and without the armband there was nothing I could do to help."

Jack's gaze flickered down the table and Carl took his cue. "When the forcefield went up I tried to override it at the control panel, but I'm still out of my depth with Goa'uld technology. I didn't know how. Then the explosions rocked the ship and I guess that must have upset the ‘frequency resonators'..." Carl glanced across the table for confirmation of his terminology. Wilson nodded.

Carl went on, "The forcefield came down. I headed into the ship and met Captain Wilson on his way out. I told him to head for the stargate with Simmons." He glanced across the table again. "That was when Major Carter reached us. She told me Lieutenant Astor was dead."

"Major?" Jack prompted.

The major looked like she'd been to hell and back. She hesitated for a moment, shaking her head. "Astor and I were together when her armband failed," Carter began, her voice steady. "I started back to help her, but that's when the forcefields went up. Astor and I were trapped on opposite sides. The forcefield actually protected me, but she was..." Carter looked down at her hands.

"Take your time, Carter," O'Neill told her and Carl looked at him, surprised by the sudden softness in his voice.

Carter took a deep breath. "Astor was trapped in there with a pair of Jaffa, Colonel. I had to watch... I couldn't help her, Sir, I swear..."

"She was killed by the Jaffa," Jack said.

Carter nodded, not speaking.

"You were unable to retrieve her body?"

Carter looked up sharply. "There _was_ no body, Colonel. They used zats. When the field came down I took off. Sir, I'm sorry. I couldn't..."

O'Neill's eyes flickered to Anise, who was listening in silence, then he looked at Carter. "There was nothing you could have done, Carter." O'Neill's granite exterior gave little away but Carl observed the tightening of his jaw and the slight deepening of the frown lines between his brows that told him the countdown to annihilation had begun. Anise would probably make it back to wherever the Tok'Ra lived without the benefit of the gate.

"Yes, sir," Carter said. She leaned back into her seat and seemed to shut down. Understandable, Carl thought. It wasn't every day a person had to watch a team-mate obliterated in a situation you didn't expect to survive.

"Carl? Can you wind this up for us?"

Jack surprised Carl again. He had expected this debriefing to be a mess. Instead, Jack was conducting it with the precision of a surgeon, the last thing Carl anticipated, based on their earlier acquaintance. Woo-hoo! Uncharted territory. Carl picked up the story. "We fled the ship together. I ran ahead to dial out, then went back to help SG-1 as soon as I'd sent the GDO code. That's when the ship blew. There were Jaffa in pursuit but I took them out. The shockwave from the ship will have killed any that were left. We got out just ahead of it. The rest you know, Colonel."

"Thank you." Jack folded his hands on the table in front of him. "SG-1, I know this isn't easy for you. We have a counsellor on the base; I suggest all of you take advantage of that." His eyes moved to Anise. "With the exception of our Tok'Ra 'guests'...dismissed."

The table cleared in nothing flat, Carl being the last one to leave. He spared one more glance for the remaining occupants of the room, seeing some serious damage control in his future, then pulled the door closed behind him.

SG-1 headed for the residential block. They moved as a group, but none of them were speaking. Carl followed them but then changed his mind and made for the security office. There were a couple of SFs in there, watching the monitors. Carl ordered them both to take a break.

There was no reason anyone had to actually see Jack go off the deep end. _If_ that was going to happen.

Sitting down in the centre seat, Carl reached for the remote, angling the other monitors from around the base so he could watch them with his peripheral vision. He focussed on the briefing room camera and zoomed in a little.

The Colonel was silent, looking at Anise unwaveringly from his seat at the head of the table. She said nothing. Finally her head bowed and Freya was back online. So Anise had nothing to say. Shame. From what Jack told him, Carl figured Anise was the one who deserved the flak that her host was about to take. Carl thumbed the volume as she began to speak.

"Colonel O'Neill, I am very sorry that this resulted in the death of one of your operatives. It is...unfortunate."

Still Jack said nothing. His lips pursed a little tighter but he showed no other sign of what he was thinking or feeling.

Freya tried again. "I do hope that..."

The sound of Jack's chair scraping harshly and loudly across the briefing room floor shattered the atmosphere of the room like a rifle shot. The Tok'Ra woman flinched where she sat, her words fading mid-sentence.

Jack rose to his feet and turned his back on her.

Carl found himself holding his breath. He had seen Jack offer that ultimate insult only once before. It was when he returned from a mission where he lost his entire team, due in large part to the pig-headed inaction of the superior officer he was insulting.

Oh, damn. So that was the way of the wind...

Carl scrubbed his hands over his face and sighed. He didn't need to see or hear any more of this. He knew how it would go down. He knew what Jack was suffering: it was the burden of the leader who had to stay behind.

Reaching into the bottom drawer of the desk in front of him, Carl drew out a quarter bottle of bourbon and tipped some down, not bothering with a glass. Just one slug and he locked it back in the drawer, slipping the key back into his breast pocket. Then he sat back in his seat to monitor the rest. He didn't particularly want to witness this, but he had to know it was over before he would let any of the SFs back into the security office.

"I trusted you. I trusted you with the well-being of my people, against my better judgement and just about every instinct I had."

"Colonel, I — "

Again her words fell short of completion as Jack turned and faced her with absolute white anger. Permafrost.

"I don't want to hear it. You will leave this base immediately. Go back to your Tok'Ra High Council and tell them they can forget it. All of it. Tell Jacob Carter that if he wants to come visit his daughter, that's fine. But I don't want to see any other Tok'Ra on this base again." Jack turned on his heel once more and returned his gaze to burning a hole in the wall.

"Colonel, you can't do that, you don't have the authority!"

"After what you have allowed to happen? Watch me. Just watch me." He turned to face her again, one final time. "Get off my base before I send you into a black hole."

Carl continued to watch the monitors until Anise and her aide left through the stargate. He changed the tape for the briefing room monitor and slipped the recording into his locked drawer. He would find out whether Jack wanted it kept or not. If not, then Carl would do a little erase, edit and loop for the last part of the tape. It would be easy enough to swap it with some earlier footage of Anise. He was skilled: this was right up his dark, back alley. No one who viewed the tape would be able to spot the tampering, and no one who knew different would ever speak of it; everyone here was loyal to the colonel.

He paged the next SF on the duty roster to take over from him and when the man showed up, Carl headed for his quarters to pick up his sports gear. He had thirty minutes at most before a certain Colonel would be down in the gym, doing his best to destroy the equipment. Carl had to be there or the chances were there would be casualties...

* * *

Twenty five minutes before Jack showed his face. Long enough for Carl to clear the place of any personnel who had chosen that time of day for their workouts. A little diplomatic explanation that hit close enough to the truth without revealing much, and the gym's occupants seemed happy enough to clear the area.

Carl heard the determined footsteps approach and started on the weights, keeping it far lighter than his usual. Just in case Jack was feeling self-destructive. Everything else in here could give him a bad sprain, but the free weights were dangerous, the mood Jack was in.

The slam was expected, so when the door rebounded off the wall Carl just carried on with the weights. Jack was still in his smart blues and had no sports gear with him at all. He headed for the treadmill. Jack's uniform was the first casualty; Carl distinctly heard the fabric rip as the jacket came off and was flung to the floor, forgotten.

By the time Carl finished his reps, Jack was running for the Olympics. Any faster and either he would have a heart attack or the machine would. Anyone else would have stopped him; Carl knew there was no point. O'Neill was tough and if he did push himself too far, well, the infirmary wasn't far away. Jack was pushing for a complete dead-drop and nothing short of a nuke was likely to stop him.

That went on for a few minutes and then Jack slowed to a stop. Somehow, he managed to leap off the machine without lurching before it completely stopped. Dangerous, but Jack was more so right now.

Next to go was the shirt. Jack was over at the punch bag now, really laying into it. He didn't bother with gloves — he was going to pay for that, later. He muttered under his breath with every punch, betraying his state of mind. Carl got off the weights and positioned himself on the stepper, still quietly observing the other man. He doubted Jack even realised he was saying anything, his attention focussed inwards — and still on Anise at the moment, if Jack's words were anything to go by.

The break came twenty minutes later. By then Carl had quit pretending to exercise and was just leaning back against the wall, unashamedly watching and waiting. The gym door was locked and he had disconnected the security camera. Thank god he had done that, as Jack was now down to boxers and they weren't the kind suitable for sport.

Jack's shoes and socks were in a heap ten yards from the punch bag and he slipped in his own sweat, sliding into an awkward heap on the mat.

"Fuck! Fuck, fuck, _fuck it_!"

Carl gave it a five count then made his move.

"Drop o' the good stuff, Jack?" he offered amiably, as if his good buddy had just dropped by to discuss a hockey game or something. He strolled over to the mat and squatted down next to Jack. He didn't offer him a hand up. It was his favourite hand and he wanted to stay attached to it.

Jack said nothing at first, just sat there staring off into space. He sighed, scrubbed viciously at his short hair and closed his eyes. "I don't know if I can do this, Carl."

Carl knew what he meant and shook his head. "You're already doing it, Jack. You think every base commander doesn't go through this the first time a screw-up happens? God damn it, you were always too busy biting heads off to notice what the other guy's going through. Your problem has always been that you care too damn much."

For the first time since he entered the gym, Jack looked directly at him. Carl saw a scared sixteen year old who'd been beating up on himself for about eighty years. Not that that made any sense at all, but that was Jack. No doubt about it: Jack O'Neill needed a break, and if Carl had anything to do with it, the doc was going to make sure he had it. Preferably back where that paperweight had come from.

Now he rose to his feet, offering a hand up to Jack. It was no surprise that Jack took it; he was exhausted and with the promise of a strong drink and Carl's ear to get him past this, Jack just wanted to get out of there. He would be okay.

* * *

Jack stopped outside the door to Carter's quarters, wondering if he should try talking to her or leave well enough alone. Something Carl said kept replaying in his mind: _I haven't known the major long, Jack, but I know she admires you. I know she models her command after you. And one thing everyone knows about Colonel O'Neill — you'd die before leaving someone behind in enemy territory. Man, that was true long before Iraq. So whatever you're putting yourself through right now, you can bet she's doing the same._

He wouldn't take that bet. He knew Carl was right. Jack glanced down; he couldn't see a light beneath her door. She might not be here. She could be asleep. Jack reached up to knock, then thought better of it: his knuckles were still raw and swollen from his "workout". He pulled a keyring out of his pocket and rapped on the door with that.

"It's open." Carter's voice, barely audible from within.

Jack pushed the door open. Carter's quarters — actually a small apartment — were usually very neat and tidy. The first thing Jack noticed was the mess on the floor: what used to be her coffee table. Hmm. Same fate as his mirror? Or did this happen before the mission? The second thing he noticed was Carter herself, curled up in a chair with a blanket around her shoulders. She looked up, recognising him and started to get up.

He gestured her down. "It's okay, Carter. At ease." He walked in, avoiding the splinters on the floor. The light in here was very dim. "I just wanted to see how you're doing."

"I'm fine, sir."

_Like hell you are. About as "fine" as I was a couple of hours ago!_ Jack dragged a chair close to hers. "The Doc says Wilson and Simmons will be okay in a day or two." It seemed the safest way to open the conversation: focus on the positive.

Carter looked at him, her eyes almost black in the dimness, then looked down again. "Colonel, about the impending court martial..."

Yeah, maybe they should talk about that. Here, where the conversation would be private. SG-1 went through the stargate against his explicit order. In doing so, one of the team had been killed. Jack was almost obligated to at least order an Article 32 hearing. It might be to Carter's advantage, in the long term, for him to do that...if he could be sure a hearing would conclude she was blameless. But she was in no fit state to face a hearing and luckily it was Jack's call, this time.

"What about it, Major?" he asked evenly.

"Well, sir, Wilson and Simmons weren't responsible for what happened. It was my responsibility."

"No one will dispute that, Carter. They're your team." Jack leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "So. One time, for the record: did you order your team to follow you to PX9-757?"

"It was my idea."

A confession he hadn't needed to hear. "That wasn't my question. Did you _order_ them to go with you?"

Carter was silent for a long moment, a slight frown creasing her brow. Finally she shook her head. "No sir. Not specifically. I don't believe that excuses me, though. The order was implied..."

He held up a hand, cutting her off quickly. "You — all of you — were under the influence of a powerful alien technology. I don't think you were responsible for your actions, Major. If you didn't give an order, let's drop talk of a court martial, okay? I don't need the hassle, anyway."

He was hoping to get a smile, but no such luck. She nodded. "Yes, sir."

"As for Lieutenant Astor," Jack began.

"I let her die," Carter interrupted, voicing exactly what Jack had been thinking about himself. He had known Astor wasn't 100%. He should never have let her take part in the experiment, even if Warner had cleared her. He blamed himself. And Carter blamed herself because she led the team, she watched Astor die. Jack knew what that was like. _Plenty of guilt to go around, campers._

"There was nothing you could have done, Carter," he said firmly. The simple truth.

A single tear escaped the corner of her eye. "We thought we were so powerful. We could do anything. How could we be so stupid?"

He managed a smile. "It's traditional for SG-1, isn't it?"

Ah, that was better! Her lips turned up in a weak smile.

Jack grinned back. He didn't really feel like smiling, though. The scene Carter described on the ship flashed into his mind. Trapped between forcefields, weakened by the failure of the armbands, with a couple of Apophis' elite Jaffa for company. It was pure dumb luck that Carter, not Astor, was on the "safe" side of the forcefield.

For a moment Jack's insides clenched with fear. _Everyone_ under his command mattered to him, but Sam Carter was one of a select few: those he trusted with his life. Those he had been to hell with...and that was literal. He almost lost Daniel a year ago. What if he lost her, too?

Something of his feelings must have shown in his eyes, because she leaned forward then, touching his hand briefly. "I'll be okay, Colonel," she said softly. "I just need some time."

Her touch was like needles on his wounded hand and he pulled away quickly. "Time, you'll have. SG-1 are on stand down until further notice and, Carter, that means stay out of the lab, too. Give yourself a break. Go fishing or something."

"I'll try." This time her smile was stronger.

"I'm not going to tell you it'll get easier, because it doesn't. But this one wasn't your fault. Keep that in mind, willya?"

"Yes, sir."

Her monosyllabic answers still worried him, but like she said, she needed time. Jack nodded, getting to his feet. He stepped over the broken table again and turned back to her. "You ought to get that fixed," he suggested, before heading out the door.

_Just another day in the office, O'Neill..._


	6. Learning To Live

### Earth

Daniel gingerly let go of the bar. His hand hovering just above it, he stood still. It felt great just to be able to stand, on his own two feet. He took a deep breath and tried to take the next step. Literally. Just lift one foot, move a little... Who would have thought something as simple as walking would take this much concentration? He completed one step. Now for the next.

"You're doing great, Daniel," Janet encouraged him. "Just a few more steps."

A few more steps. Each one was harder than the one before. _Just think, Daniel: the quicker you learn to walk again the quicker you can never see this hospital room again._ He had come to look forward to Janet's company twice a week, but this room...he would be thrilled when he could leave behind the white walls and hospital beds forever. Another two steps and he was past the end of the bar. God, this was hard! Two more...one... He reached for the edge of the table with relief, supporting his weight on his arms. He felt Janet's touch on his back and turned his head.

She was smiling. "You did it, Daniel!"

Her joy was infectious and he couldn't help smiling back. "I did it," he agreed. "Ten steps and I feel like I've run a marathon."

"In another ten, maybe you can," she joked.

Daniel rolled his eyes at her.

Janet laughed. "Oh, Daniel... It will get easier, you know that. You're retraining muscles that haven't been used properly for a year. Give it time."

"I know." Daniel winced at a twinge of pain. "Jan, could you get my chair, please."

She brought the wheelchair to him and held it while he sat down. "Pain, Daniel?"

He nodded. "There's always some pain."

"Is it worse than a few moments ago?" she asked, her tone professional once more.

Janet was such a dichotomy lately. Over the past year they had become close as friends. There had been times Daniel had been ready to give up on it all, days when he had been sure he would never walk again. Janet stayed with him through all of it; his doctor, and his friend. She seemed to have trouble being both at the same time, though.

She had asked about the pain... "It's not worse," he answered. Different. Lower down my back." He glanced up at her as she moved around the chair. "Thank you for everything," he said.

"Just doing my job," she told him.

"No, this is a long way above and beyond, Jan. I've given you hell a few times."

"Daniel, if you think _you're_ a bad patient, you should try nursing Colonel O'Neill some time."

It was his turn to laugh, but the laughter was sad, too. He missed Jack. The SGC wasn't the same without him. "Just the same. I owe you, Janet." He held her eyes, wanting her to understand what he was saying.

Janet smiled, the expression lighting up her face. Daniel caught his breath. She was beautiful. And a good friend. He had thought about asking her out before, but in his condition it seemed a bad idea. There was that doctor-patient thing, too: she might consider it unprofessional. He had bad luck with women. But maybe...

"Janet, you're working the early shift this week, aren't you?"

"Yes, why?"

"If you don't have other plans, would you like to have dinner with me tonight?"

Another smile. "To pay off the debt?"

"Um...actually, I was thinking more like a date." He was _terrible_ at this. She made him feel like he was fourteen again.

"Oh!" Janet was silent for a moment, looking at him.

Daniel was glad he was sitting down.

She said softly, "I didn't realise you felt that way."

"Is that a yes or a no?"

"I think...I think I would enjoy that. Would you like me to pick you up?"

Yes! For once, Daniel didn't have to force the smile to his face. "I'm allowed to drive now," he reminded her. "I'll come to you. Say around eight?"

"I'll be ready."

* * *

A few minutes later Daniel was back in his wheelchair, moving out into the corridor. He had the same love-hate relationship with that chair as with the room he was leaving. The wheelchair gave him some semblance of a normal life, but he badly wanted to be able to leave it behind. The burns Daniel had suffered a year before complicated the injury to his spine and made it harder for his doctors to treat. Two painful operations, and months of physiotherapy had finally brought him to today, when he had been able to walk a few steps. Janet had been right when she promised him a long, hard road. Hopefully, today was the beginning of the end of that road, but he still had a long way to go. Daniel was still in pain most of the time, and he wouldn't be ditching the wheelchair any time soon.

Teal'c was waiting for him. He stood as Daniel came close to him. "You have good news," Teal'c said.

Was it so obvious? Daniel smiled for his friend. "Ready to head home?"

"I believe so." Teal'c moved behind him to push the chair.

Teal'c was the only person Daniel would allow to do that. He usually moved the chair himself, turning the wheels by hand, though the chair had a motor if he needed it. He liked being independent, however much it cost him in pain. He wouldn't let people "help" him unless he had no choice. Teal'c was different.

The first time Daniel had surgery on his spine it felt as if the operation made his condition worse not better. Recovery took time, and Teal'c had been...patient, kind, helpful, a tower of support. It was a time Daniel didn't like to remember. His friendship with Teal'c had always been rocky. When Teal'c killed Amonet — and Sha're with her — it drove a wedge between them for a while; the death of his wife was hard for Daniel to forgive. But if he had ever needed proof of Teal'c's friendship those few weeks had more than provided it. Today, Daniel was closer to Teal'c than he was to anyone, even Jack.

Outside the hospital, it was a cold day. Daniel was shivering by the time they reached the car. "Maybe you should drive," he suggested. He envied Teal'c's resistance to extremes of weather.

Teal'c helped Daniel to get into the car. "You seem happy, Daniel. Did your session go well?"

_You seem happy._ Teal'c's love of understatement could be hilarious at times. Daniel couldn't stop smiling. "Yes, it went very well," he confirmed. "I asked Janet to have dinner with me tonight."

"I see." Teal'c started the car.

Daniel glanced at his friend, knowing exactly what he was thinking. "So. Say it," he challenged.

"What took you so long?" Teal'c said with a brief smile.

Daniel laughed. "I don't know. But I have a good feeling about this."

* * *

Daniel and Janet had not spent much time together socially. Janet worked long hours, and she was a single parent, which cut into her social life because she had to find babysitters for Cassie if she wanted a night out. Daniel had worked, if not long hours then certainly odd hours as a member of SG-1, and since his accident he barely had a social life at all.

He was more than a little nervous when he picked Janet up at her home, but they were good friends and Janet had a talent for putting people at ease. Being in her company was comfortable. Over dinner they talked about Cassie, about movies and music. Somehow they managed to keep the conversation away from work.

"You know, I was surprised when you asked me out," Janet told him, near the end of their evening.

Daniel remembered that. "I don't know why. I thought how I feel was written all over me."

Janet smiled over her wine glass. "It must have been in a language most of us can't read. You do know half the base thinks you and Teal'c are...um..."

Daniel choked on the last spoonful of his dessert. "Excuse me?"

"You didn't know?" Janet put her glass down, meeting Daniel's eyes. "Daniel, you and Teal'c live together. Anyone can see you love each other. Before your accident you were always very easy around people, physically. Now the only person you're that relaxed with is him. Some people just drew the natural conclusion."

Daniel didn't know whether to be embarrassed or angry. He stared at Janet, ending up just plain confused. "Janet, are you saying that _you_ thought I was...with _Teal'c_?"

The pause before she answered was not reassuring. "I...wondered," she admitted.

Daniel poured himself a little more wine, the gesture covering his confusion. "It's true that Teal'c and I are close. I'm not gay. If I were, if I ever thought about it, it wouldn't be Teal'c." The very idea! Teal'c would probably just find it funny. "Janet, do you know how Jaffa make love?"

"Physically, Teal'c is human. At least...he is there."

"Then you don't know. You should ask him sometime. It's fascinating. Teal'c doesn't get embarrassed about sex the way most people do. He's not human, Janet, especially not there."

Her eyes laughing, she teased, "How do you know, if you've never..."

"Jan..." he warned.

She just smiled.

"I know because I asked him," Daniel said tightly. "We live together. We talk."

"I'm sorry, Daniel. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. I said I wondered, not that I believed the gossip. I thought if there was something to tell you would have mentioned it to me, as your doctor if not as a friend."

"But, I—" he began, then stopped. He was stunned by the suggestion. Of course he loved Teal'c! Just not in that way. He wasn't happy with the idea that they were the subject of gossip. This was supposed to be a fun date. It had taken a less-than-fun turn. Daniel sighed. "Maybe I should take you home."

"I've offended you."

"No," Daniel reassured her instantly, but he wasn't certain that was the truth.

"I really thought you knew," Janet added.

_Well, I didn't have a clue._ "I...I care about you, Janet. Your dedication, your compassion, your kindness...your beauty. I've been looking forward to tonight for a long time. Now I feel as if...as if you don't know me."

Janet nodded, but it was a long time before she answered. "A doctor often learns more than she wants to know about her patients. As your doctor, there's very little I don't know about you, on a purely physical level. I've been with you through the past year, and I know how hard you've worked to walk again, I know how much you've suffered. But do I know you? Not completely, Daniel. I know you professionally, not personally. I would like to know you better. Isn't that what a date is all about?"

Daniel relaxed a little. "Of course it is. You just...threw me, I guess."

Janet reached across the table, covering his hand with hers. "Maybe you _should_ take me home. We can have coffee at my place."

* * *

Janet talked to Daniel through the open kitchen door while she made coffee quickly. Daniel had allowed her to help him out of the wheelchair so they could sit together on her couch. She understood how frustrating Daniel found his condition; it was unusual for him to accept help. Carrying two mugs of coffee, she headed back to Daniel, handing him a mug before sitting beside him.

She was worried she had hurt his feelings earlier. There was no way to take back the words. She placed her mug down on the table and reached for Daniel's hand. His skin felt warm against hers. Daniel leaned closer to her, putting an arm around her shoulders.

"I'm sorry," Daniel said quietly.

"Don't," Janet answered, letting herself relax against the warmth of his body. "It's been a good evening."

"Is that a a hint I should leave?" he asked. Daniel turned toward her slightly, just enough to meet her eyes. His hand brushed her cheek gently.

"No..."

His lips covered hers. The kiss was tentative, but Janet found herself responding deeply. He held her close as her lips parted beneath his. She wanted more. He was holding himself back. Was he still so insecure with her? God, if there was ever a man she could have slept with on the first date...

Daniel drew back, tracing the shape of her face with his fingertips. "I think maybe I should leave. It's late."

She heard herself say, "You could stay..." She could feel his hesitation.

He brushed a strand of hair back from her face. "Can I take a raincheck on that?"

Janet nodded, disappointed...and a little embarrassed to feel that way.

He had always been sensitive to her moods. "Jan, it's not that I don't want to stay," he said. "It's just, pain isn't conducive to passion, and my back is painful right now. I — um — I don't think I'd be able to..."

"I understand," she said quickly. She reached up to kiss him again, cutting off his stammering flow of words. "You told me you had some pain, but I didn't realise it was so bad," Janet added, concerned.

"Can you _not_ be my doctor? Not tonight."

Janet didn't bother pointing out he was making an impossible request. She nodded, accepting the rebuke, but didn't answer. When they kissed again, she was more aware of his body, the way he moved, the way he held his body and she realised he was in great pain. She would have to talk to him about this tomorrow. For now...

"Raincheck, then. I had a wonderful time tonight."

He smiled. "So you might say yes if I ask you again?"

"Count on it," she promised.

* * *

  


### Morning

Daniel lifted the jug again. "More coffee?" he asked Cleis. Coffee seemed to be his life these past few days, Daniel reflected.

"Please." Cleis held out his mug for Daniel to fill. "This is one thing about Earth I will miss when I leave."

"Coffee?"

"Yes. There's nothing quite like it anywhere else in the galaxy."

"Are you leaving?" Daniel asked. Cleis seemed so much a part of the SGC now. Daniel's office would feel empty without him around.

Cleis had stayed at the SGC after the plague to help them with the aftermath. Just before the plague, SG-1 (without Daniel, of course) had returned to Talashim where Cleis lost his research data, and had been able to retrieve some of it. Since then, he and Daniel had worked hard to restore the history Cleis had written, to catalogue what they had been able to save and to restore what had been lost. It was a long project. After a year of intensive work, they had almost finished the restoration work, though, as Cleis had said in the beginning, a great deal of what had been lost was irreplaceable. Naturally, as their project neared completion, Cleis was considering his future. Would he really leave so soon?

Cleis hesitated over answering. Finally, it was Entar who spoke. "I may have little choice. I must begin to search for a new host shortly. I doubt I can do so among the Tau'ri."

Hearing a Goa'uld voice from his friend no longer made Daniel pause; he had become used to Cleis and Entar switching mid-conversation, and he considered Entar a friend as well as his host. The news came as a shock, though. "Cleis is dying?" he asked, taken aback.

"Cleis has been my host for almost three hundred years. His body is beginning to fail beyond my ability to sustain him, but he is not yet dying. He may live some years yet. However, the search for a host can take that long."

Daniel understood. "If you want to stay on Earth, you could discuss this with General Vidrine. We were able to find a host for Selmak. Perhaps we could do the same for you."

"The idea of blending seems distasteful to most of your people."

Daniel couldn't deny it. "I'm afraid many people don't see more than an ideological difference between the Tok'Ra and the Goa'uld. But not everyone thinks that way, Entar. It's worth a try at least."

"It is," Entar agreed.

Both men turned as the door opened. It was Janet. "Daniel," she said, opening the door only enough to stick her head in, "I want to see you in the infirmary when you have time."

Daniel smiled, pleased to see her. He checked his watch. "Can it wait a couple of hours?"

"Certainly," she agreed.

"I'll be there," he promised. A couple of hours delay would give him an excuse to ask her to lunch, after whatever she wanted.

Once she had gone, Daniel set his coffee aside and turned back to the computer. "We still have some blank spots around 500 AD..."

* * *

Daniel was on his way to the infirmary when he heard the alarm signalling an incoming wormhole. A year ago, he had heard the alarm several times a day. He became used to it, barely noticing it most of the time. Today it was a rare event for anyone to dial Earth unexpectedly, so the alarm made Daniel wonder. Someone hurried past him, almost knocking into his wheelchair. Daniel bit his tongue on what he wanted to say and simply kept going. He would be _so_ glad to get out of this chair. He hated being invisible.

The irritation evaporated when he reached the infirmary. Just one night, and he was already high at the thought of seeing her again. He found Janet leaning over an electron microscope, deep in concentration.

"Jan?"

"Just a moment," she cautioned, not looking up.

Daniel understood. He was happy to wait, and to watch her for a while. She moved between the microscope and her computer screen a few times, taking notes, he assumed. After ten or fifteen minutes she turned the computer off and looked at him. "Daniel," she smiled.

"I was a bit short with you earlier. I'm sorry, I was just..."

"In the middle of something with Cleis. I know. You're always like that when you're working."

She was correct, but things were different between them now. Telling a colleague to come back later was one thing. Janet was no longer merely a colleague. "That's no excuse," he demurred. "I need to tell you I'm sorry."

"Accepted."

"He smiled. "Great. So, why did you want to see me?"

Janet moved away from her work area. "I think we should talk about last night — and I do mean professionally."

"What about last night?"

"Just how much pain were you feeling, Daniel?"

Daniel looked down, unable to answer at once. He hadn't been looking forward to this conversation. Eventually, he looked up, meeting Janet's eyes. "Is it so important? I've told you before, there's always some pain."

"You said 'a little'. Daniel, be honest with me, please."

He couldn't refuse her. Daniel nodded. "Okay. Honestly, it's more than a little. It's a lot. But there's nothing you can do about it, is there? You've told me yourself that more surgery is too risky, and I already have strong painkillers."

"If the pain medication isn't helping, I _can_ prescribe something stronger."

That was the part Daniel hadn't wanted to hear. He knew Janet was just being a good doctor, but he had done the research himself. "By stronger, you mean something like morphine, don't you?"

"It's effective, Daniel," she agreed.

"No," Daniel said firmly. "I won't take something I could get addicted to. Once _was_ enough, Janet. I'd rather have the pain than go through withdrawal again."

"Now you're being foolish."

"And stubborn," he smiled, hoping that would end it.

She would probably have argued with him further, but at that moment there was a commotion behind them. Daniel turned toward the infirmary door. Teal'c stood there, accompanied by two SFs and a woman. A moment later Daniel's eyes were drawn to the golden serpent symbol of Apophis on her forehead, and remembered hearing the alarm. She was a priestess, then.

"Daniel Jackson," Teal'c said, "Doctor Fraiser, I require your assistance. Also that of Entar."

Daniel frowned. Teal'c always referred to their Tok'Ra friend as Cleis. If he was asking for Entar, it was the symbiot specifically he wanted to speak with. And who was _she_? He suddenly became aware of Teal'c's body language: he hovered close to the woman, protectively.

"I'll get Entar for you," he offered. "Do you want me to bring him here?"

"To the briefing room," Teal'c answered.

"We'll meet you there, then." Daniel cast a smile at Janet before turning the wheelchair toward the door.

* * *

Daniel and Cleis reached the briefing room together. The others: Teal'c and the priestess, General Vidrine and Janet, were already present. Three SFs stood near the door. Cleis moved a chair to make room for Daniel's wheelchair at the conference table. He spoke quietly to Daniel, "She carries a mature Goa'uld."

"You can tell?"

"Entar can." Cleis sat down, saying nothing more.

No one seemed to have overheard Cleis' words. Daniel looked at Teal'c. This seemed to be his meeting.

Teal'c introduced the priestess as Shan'auc of the Red Hills. "Shan'auc desires to meet the Tok'Ra."

"For what purpose?" Cleis demanded.

"I have found a way to communicate with my symbiot," she declared. Her voice was strong.

"Is that possible?" Daniel asked.

"It is not," Teal'c told them. Shan'auc's gaze shifted to Teal'c when he spoke but she said nothing.

That was Daniel's understanding, too. All Jaffa carried a larval Goa'uld symbiot in the abdominal pouch they called a "womb"; it was what kept them alive. But Jaffa weren't hosts; there was no connection between the Jaffa's brain and that of his symbiot.

For a moment there was silence at the table. Then Entar said quietly, "Forgive me, but I must disagree with you, Teal'c." He leaned forward slightly, his eyes never leaving Shan'auc's face. "Please explain how you achieved this."

"In a deep state of Kel'no'reem," she said.

"I asked how, not when," Entar told her curtly. Daniel looked at his friend in surprise; he had rarely heard his friend speak so harshly. Shan'auc, however, accepted the rebuke without question.

They all listened as Shan'auc described the way she had touched the mind of the Goa'uld she carried. It had been unintentional at first, but she had realised that she might be able to influence the symbiot. According to Shan'auc, she had succeeded: the Goa'uld within her wished to join the Tok'Ra.

When she finished her tale, she met Entar's eyes with a challenge. "And who are you?"

"I am Entar of Amenti," he told her.

"You are one of the Tok'Ra?"

In the brief silence before Entar spoke again, Daniel wondered how he would answer. He knew Entar would never answer a direct question like that with a simple yes or no.

Entar said, "If I were not, would I be seated here among the Tau'ri?"

The general said, "Entar, is what Shan'auc described possible?"

"I cannot say. The implications of Shan'auc's story are unsettling. I would prefer to believe she is lying—"

Shan'auc stood, her eyes blazing with anger. She opened her mouth to speak, but they were never to know what she planned to say. Instead she cried out in pain and fell. Teal'c caught her as she collapsed. Then they all saw it. Her clothing was torn at the abdomen and the Goa'uld she carried emerged.

"Stay back!" Entar commanded. He moved swiftly around the table to her side.

Daniel watched tensely, suddenly, terrifyingly aware of the danger they were all in. Now everyone in the room could see what Cleis and Entar already knew. This was a fully mature Goa'uld symbiot, that _needed_ a human host. The only two people in the room who were safe from that, Teal'c and Entar, knelt at Shan'auc's side. She cried out in her own language and Teal'c replied, speaking quietly in the same tongue. Slowly, Daniel saw the Goa'uld retreat into her body.

"She needs medical attention," Cleis announced. "Doctor, it is safe for you to approach now."

Teal'c carried Shan'auc to the infirmary. Daniel, Cleis and the general remained in the briefing room.

"What just happened?" Daniel asked. His heart was still beating too fast from the adrenaline rush.

"The symbiot Shan'auc carries is in urgent need of a host. Her body can no longer sustain it," Cleis explained. "It speaks much for her sincerity that no one was harmed just now. When a Jaffa's symbiot matures, it will usually take the Jaffa as a host if no other is offered."

"Do you believe her?" General Vidrine asked insistently.

"General, I believe Shan'auc is sincere. There is no way for me to know anything else. With your permission, I will travel to Vorash and present Shan'auc's case to the Tok'Ra high council."

The general nodded. "You can leave whenever you are ready. I'll authorise a GDO so you can return here directly. Time seems to be a factor."

"Thank you, General."

A few minutes later, Cleis was walking beside Daniel as they returned to Daniel's office. Cleis seemed tense. Daniel knew it had something to do with Shan'auc, but he couldn't figure out why. When they reached the office, he asked Cleis to explain.

"I know you have reservations, but isn't this a good thing? I mean, you told me the Tok'Ra have had no way to increase their numbers since Ra killed Egeria."

Cleis nodded. "That's true. _If_ Shan'auc truly has succeeded, it's a breakthrough that will be extremely valuable to us. But I find the implications...frightening."

"Frightening? Why?" And shouldn't Cleis have mentioned this to the general?

"An immature symbiot is like a human baby. It contains the potential, but cannot reason, cannot think. I believe Shan'auc could have communicated with it, but the idea that she might have been able to teach it, or persuade it...Daniel, to the best of my knowledge, that's impossible. Yet if she has not done so, then the symbiot has succeeded in deceiving her. In either case, this suggests that the Goa'uld have evolved far beyond my expectations, in only a few thousand years. I find that frightening."

"That's why you're going to the Tok'Ra. Not to ask them to accept Shan'auc's proposal."

Cleis nodded, but said, "I will present her offer to the council. My opinion will not be considered by them: the decision will be theirs."

"What do you think they'll say?"

"I don't know. The potential gain from this is great. But the cost may be high, also." Cleis sat down at the computer they shared. "If we copy our latest data, I can take it with me. I don't want to risk all this being lost a second time."

Daniel drew in a breath sharply. "Don't even say it! Everything we have here is backed up on Earth. It won't be lost." He opened a drawer and pulled out his laptop. "Copy the data onto this, Cleis, it's quicker. That's if it will be compatible with Tok'Ra technology."

Cleis smiled. "I have Major Carter's adapted interface."

* * *

In the infirmary, not long after, Daniel waited while Janet tried to help Shan'auc. He knew the score: without the support of the symbiot a Jaffa's immune system failed rapidly, her major organs began to shut down. He also Teal'c telling him that in the absence of an alternative host, a mature symbiot had been known to take the Jaffa; Cleis confirmed that today. That had not happened to Shan'auc. Perhaps her story was true. It seemed her symbiot was risking its death by not taking her; it didn't seem very Goa'uld-like.

Teal'c, watching from Shan'auc's side, looked up when Daniel entered. He spoke quietly to Shan'auc then moved away, heading toward Daniel.

"Entar is going to Vorash now," Daniel told him, before Teal'c could ask.

"Will he support Shan'auc's cause?"

"If he thought she was lying, Teal'c, he wouldn't have agreed to contact the Tok'Ra. I don't think he's convinced, but he did say this isn't his decision."

Teal'c nodded slowly. "I had hoped to speak with him before he left." His gaze was on Shan'auc again.

Daniel understood. "For Shan'auc?"

"She will require a new symbiot, or she will die." There was a great deal of pain in those words. Few other than Daniel would have recognised it in him. This woman wasn't just a priestess: Teal'c cared about her deeply. Almost as if she were a lover, but from what Daniel knew of Jaffa society that was unlikely, if not impossible.

"Teal'c, there are no Jaffa among the Tok'Ra. They don't reproduce any more. I don't know how they could get hold of a symbiot for her. But Entar knows what she needs. If it's possible, I'm sure they'll try."

"Thank you, Daniel."

Daniel turned to go as Teal'c moved back to Shan'auc's side. At the door a thought struck him and he turned back suddenly, staring at Teal'c. He had accepted what Daniel said as if Daniel had the power to speak for the Tok'Ra. Or at least for Cleis. Why? Teal'c was usually a good judge of people, but he had needed Daniel to reassure him about this.

Daniel was close to Cleis and Entar. Probably more so than anyone else on the base. Did others know so little about Entar? And was that the result of Entar's reticence, or others' discomfort with the Tok'Ra?

It was something to think about.


	7. Hope Betrayed

### Next Day

"The High Council of the Tok'Ra is willing to accept Shan'auc's offer," Cleis announced to the group gathered in the briefing room. "We have found a man willing and eager to act as a host."

"Eager?" Daniel repeated. "Does he know what he could be getting into?" It sounded unbelievable. Would anyone willingly take that sort of risk? He understood that being a host to a Tok'Ra wasn't the same thing as the Goa'uld, but in circumstances like these...when there were serious doubts about the sincerity of the symbiot...what kind of person would be "eager" to risk that?

Cleis met Daniel's eyes briefly and Daniel saw that he too, was troubled. "I was in a hurry to return here, so was not able to meet this host. But I was assured that he understands what is being asked of him."

"How soon can the Tok'Ra be ready?" General Vidrine asked.

"Immediately," Cleis answered. "There is a need for haste, for Shan'auc's sake."

"I want you to make your trip back via SG Alpha," the general said. "Take an SG team with you when you go on to Vorash."

"As you wish."

The meeting broke up shortly after that. Daniel hung back as the others left, waiting for a moment to speak privately with Cleis.

"It bothers you, doesn't it, Daniel?" Cleis asked him.

"Is it that obvious?"

Cleis nodded.

"What didn't you tell us, Cleis? I know you were holding something back."

Cleis glanced over his shoulder, checking that they were alone. "Entar and I disagree with the Council's decision, that's all. They were as concerned as I about the implications of Shan'auc's story. If it is truly possible to turn a young Goa'uld to the Tok'Ra cause, the potential benefit to us is immeasurable. However, I don't believe this end justifies the means. We are being asked to sacrifice a host on the word of a priestess of Apophis."

Sacrifice. The word had some unpleasant resonances, and Daniel understood his friend's discomfort with the situation. "Is there an alternative?" he asked.

"Not now," Cleis told him. He didn't elaborate.

* * *

"Earth IDC confirmed, Colonel."

Jack acknowledged the information with a nod. "Open the iris," he ordered, moving out to wait at the base of the ramp. Behind him, half a dozen heavily armed SFs waited for his order to stand down. Today, he wouldn't give it until he saw who appeared on the ramp.

He did not want the Tok'Ra on his base. Not since the last time. He certainly didn't want to be the one stuck with playing diplomat. SG-1 were on a mission, or he would have asked Carter to take care of this. She liked the Tok'Ra. General Vidrine had left him no options, however. I expect you to co-operate, were Vidrine's exact words. No details. No opportunity to discuss it. Okay, so an extended discussion wasn't very feasible. Talking to Earth was one hell of an expensive call. But Vidrine knew how much Jack didn't like the Tok'Ra. He did not want them on his base. Not even Cleis, who he had to admit had saved a lot of lives when the plague hit. They just made him...uncomfortable.

Teal'c stepped out of the event horizon. Teal'c with a woman on his arm; an exotic beauty. Well, Teal'c, you fox! Jack thought, fighting the urge to grin. She was quite something. Definite heat there, too. They began to walk down the ramp and Jack gave the SFs the expected order. Cleis stepped onto the ramp behind them; for the moment Jack ignored him.

"Teal'c, buddy!"

"Colonel O'Neill, this is Shan'auc of the Red Hills."

Jack gave Teal'c a grin, then looked at Shan'auc. "I'm pleased to meet you," he offered.

She bowed formally. "Master Bra'tac has told me much about you," she said. "You are Teal'c's apprentice."

Jack choked. "Not exactly," he answered, no longer smiling. That might have been funny, once, but he didn't have that luxury any more. "Teal'c is..." he began, catching Teal'c's eye. "...my friend."

"Of that I am sure," she replied. She frowned, then clutched at her stomach and a look that was unmistakably fear crossed her face. "Teal'c!" she gasped.

Teal'c supported her as she doubled over. "Shan'auc," he said.

Cleis moved to her side quickly. "Stay back, Colonel," he warned, then spoke to her rapidly in what Jack assumed was her own language. Shan'auc replied in the same tongue then whispered something to herself as she straightened slowly, leaning heavily on Teal'c, her forehead still creased with pain.

"What's going on?" Jack demanded.

Cleis looked up at Teal'c. "You'd better take her to the infirmary, Teal'c. Perhaps the doctor can give her something for the pain." Belatedly, he turned to Jack. "With your permission, Colonel?"

"Sure. Teal'c, take her to the infirmary; you know where it is." Jack's eyes narrowed as he looked at Cleis. "I want an explanation. Now."

* * *

"She's carrying an adult Goa'uld in her gut," Jack repeated, half-disbelieving, half furious that Vidrine would dump this on him. "Are my people in danger?"

"Not immediately, Colonel," Cleis reassured him quickly, "but the situation is urgent. Neither Shan'auc nor the symbiot have long to live."

"Why are you here?"

"General Vidrine wanted us to come this way. The Tok'Ra have agreed to share any useful information we may gain from the symbiot with the Tau'ri."

"Sweet." Jack didn't have a lot of faith in Tok'Ra promises.

They entered the infirmary together and Jack looked for Teal'c. He was sitting beside Shan'auc's bed. Jack had never seen Teal'c look as worried as he did then; the big guy was usually pretty hard to read. Shan'auc was clearly very sick. Her skin was almost grey; her eyes open, but dull.

Warner saw them enter and hurried over. "I've given her an analgesic, but there's not much more I can do. Her body is shutting down."

Cleis nodded. "Her symbiot is no longer able to sustain her body. The only thing that will help her is a new one. We must leave for Vorash as soon as possible."

"No," Warner said firmly. "I'm sorry, but she isn't going anywhere. I can't allow it. She can barely stand."

Jack did not want to hear that. "Can't you stabilise her, Doc?"

"She's dying, Colonel."

Which was exactly what Cleis had been saying, Jack knew. He also knew what was coming.

Cleis said, "Colonel, with your permission we could perform the implantation here."

"And why would I agree to let you put a Goa'uld in someone's head?"

"Shan'auc has risked a great deal for this, Colonel. If she dies, the symbiot dies with her, and we will lose a valuable source of information."

"And without a symbiot she'll die anyway."

"That is true."

"So this is about the snake."

"Not entirely," Cleis insisted.

"But that's the most important thing," Jack pressed.

"Our war against the Goa'uld is important, Colonel. May I have your permission to contact the Tok'Ra?"

"Teal'c rose from Shan'auc's side. "O'Neill, Shan'auc came here expecting to die. This is her last wish."

And Jack had been ordered to co-operate. He had serious reservations about this, however. "It's not that simple, Teal'c. You are asking me to collude in giving a host to a Goa'uld. Not a Tok'Ra. A Goa'uld."

Teal'c did not reply. He didn't need to; Jack could see the plea in his friend's eyes. And Vidrine hadn't given him a choice here, damn him! He turned to Cleis, not happy at all. "Make the call," he said curtly.

"Thank you, O'Neill," Teal'c said. Then, to Cleis, "I do not want her to die."

"None of us do. I asked the Council to try to find a new symbiot for her. They may not succeed. Even if they do, you must understand, Teal'c, she has waited far too long. She may not be strong enough for a new symbiot to sustain her."

Teal'c bowed his head in acceptance. Jack, watching the exchange, made a mental note to find out just what this woman meant to Teal'c. He watched Cleis leave the room then looked back at Teal'c. "You trust this?" he asked, far more willing to believe Teal'c than Cleis.

"I trust Shan'auc," Teal'c told him.

I wish I could. "I'm sure the Tok'Ra will do whatever they want to. I'd just rather it didn't happen here."

* * *

_Jack paced impatiently in the confines of the corridor. Waiting in hope; waiting for his three year quest to be over. Waiting in fear; waiting for the old cliché: the operation was a success but the patient died. Waiting._

_When the Tok'Ra appeared, he spun round so fast he almost gave himself whiplash. The first to emerge was the one carrying a Goa'uld symbiot in a jar. Jack held his breath, waiting._

The Goa'uld was Klorel, and the sight heralded Skaara's freedom. A good thing. A damned good day.

This was different. This time they were planning to put a snake in someone's head. It had to be a bad plan. Jack wanted, desperately, to tell Vidrine to stuff his orders and refuse to co-operate with this. Not even the presence of a familiar face — Martouf came through the gate with a new symbiot for Shan'auc and the man who planned to be host to the snake — could make Jack comfortable with this. But to refuse the order and keep his command, he needed to find a reason.

The host, Hebron, seemed willing enough. Cleis cut short Jack's attempt to interview the man, but Jack heard enough to be sure he wasn't being coerced. He said he knew what he was doing. That made Jack's moral dilemma even tougher.

_"Once host to a Goa'uld, you will take the lives of your friends. You will witness their deaths through your own eyes...helplessly."_

God! That was a memory he didn't need right now. That bitch Hathor! First time they met she tried to put a snake in his gut; the second time in his head. Jack swallowed against the nausea that always accompanied that particular memory.

Now it was too late to stop it.

Jack couldn't watch this. He began to turn away from the scene around Shan'auc's bed and Warner caught his eye. Warner knew what happened to Jack when he was Hathor's prisoner. Few others did; the details of what happened that day were classified. As their eyes met, Warner's look was speculative.

"Don't say it, Doc," Jack warned.

"You don't have to be here, Colonel," Warner said quietly.

But Jack knew different. "Yeah, I do." What kind of leader would he be if he chickened out?

Resolved, he turned back. Shan'auc lay on the bed, blue surgical sheets covering most of her body. Teal'c was at her side; he hadn't left her since they arrived. Martouf was taking the symbiot from her pouch. On the other side of the bed, Cleis held the cylinder with the new larva. As Martouf stepped away from her, the snake writhing in his hands, Cleis moved in.

Martouf carried the Goa'uld to the next bed, where Hebron waited. "Are you sure you wish to accept this?" he asked. The gesture surprised Jack.

But Hebron nodded. "I am ready," he answered firmly. He lay back on the bed and Martouf placed the symbiot on his skin.

_Cold, metal-sheathed fingers caressing his skin. "And when you awaken from the joining..."_

Jack turned away. He couldn't watch that. No way. Instead he looked at Shan'auc. Her hand rested on her stomach now, a small smile graced her lips. She turned her head to the side, looking over to the other bed. The brief, morbid thought came to Jack that she might have seen this happen a hundred times...as he knew Teal'c had watched it many times.

Then Hebron cried out.

Jack squeezed his eyes shut. He remembered how that moment felt: the pain of it, the struggle to keep even a little piece of his mind... But this man wouldn't be fighting, would he? He wanted this.

Nausea overwhelmed him and Jack had to get out of there. He managed to walk, not run, but he was walking very quickly.

Jack didn't throw up. He came damned close, though. In the small bathroom attached to the infirmary he splashed cold water on his face and scrubbed some through his hair. He took a drink, wishing for a good, stiff whiskey rather than water. Or a cigarette. Yeah, that would be...

Whoa! Where did that come from? He hadn't smoked for years.

Hadn't been under this sort of pressure for years.

Taking a few deep breaths, Jack left the room. Cleis intercepted him as he closed the bathroom door. "We should talk, Colonel."

"What's going on?"

"Shan'auc's body seems to be responding to the new Goa'uld larva. She is very ill, but I think she will recover."

"And Hebron?"

"The implantation was successful. He will sleep for several hours; it will take some time for the symbiot to blend fully with the host. I can't tell you much more until he wakes. Martouf will remain at his side until then."

_"And when you awaken from the joining..."_

_Shut up, bitch!_ "So what's left to talk about, Cleis?"

"Please, Colonel?"

What the hell. Jack shrugged. "Okay. In my office."

* * *

"Anise told me what happened..."

"I don't want to hear that woman's name, Cleis," Jack interrupted firmly.

"She deeply regrets her part in..."

"I said I don't want to hear it."

Cleis hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Very well. She also told me you intend to recommend against the treaty between our peoples."

Uh-huh. This was familiar territory, at least. Jack relaxed a little. "That's right."

"Colonel, I know you're intelligent enough not to judge all of us by a single incident. The Tok'Ra High Council has asked me to work with your ambassadors to draft this treaty. If you have concerns, I would like a chance to address them."

Concerns? Anise waltzed in here to experiment on his people, with no regard for proper precautions or for their well-being. She pushed her way ahead, conned them into taking a suicide mission and was directly responsible for Lieutenant Astor's death. And Cleis thought Jack might have concerns. The thing was, the mess with the armbands was just typical of what happened every time the Tok'Ra knocked at their door.

Nothing would convince Jack that the Tok'Ra had Earth's interests at heart. Nothing. It was clear they cared about people only as hosts...

"That's enough, Colonel!" Entar snapped.

Jack let a brief smile touch his lips. "Not nearly enough," he said, perversely pleased to get a reaction from the snake.

"We have different philosophies, Colonel O'Neill, that much is clear. We have different priorities. But if you think the Tok'Ra do not value human life, you are mistaken."

"Tell that to Jennifer Astor."

"I won't try to defend what happened. I don't know all the facts. I do know that the alliance between the Tok'Ra and the Tau'ri will not be founded on our differences. It will be founded on the things we have in common."

"As for example?"

"If nothing else, a common enemy. The enemy Lieutenant Astor died fighting." Entar held up a hand before Jack could interrupt. "I don't mean to devalue her sacrifice. It is my hope we can move past it."

Jack stood. "In my world, Cleis, alliances are built on trust. The incident last month proved to me that the Tok'Ra cannot be trusted. I have no intention of supporting any treaty between us."

Entar stood, bowing his head. "I hope we can prove you wrong, Colonel O'Neill."

Only when he had left Jack's office did Jack realise he hadn't asked after Daniel.

* * *

The buzz of his bedroom phone woke Jack. He was instantly alert; no one would call him here in his quarters without a good reason. He grabbed the phone. "O'Neill here."

"Morning, Jack," came Miller's lazy voice.

Jack groaned. "Carl, don't you sleep? This had better be good."

"The man in the infirmary — the one you were so worried about. He's awake. I thought you'd want to know."

"Yeah. Thanks. Is he alone?"

"The two Tok'Ra are with him. I've got security keeping an eye on them."

"Good. I'll be there shortly."

* * *

It was 0517, SGA time, when Jack reached the infirmary. As Carl reported, both Cleis and Martouf were there, Cleis seated beside the bed, Martouf standing beside him. Martouf was speaking, quietly. Jack couldn't hear the words.

Jack walked toward the group. "Good morning, campers."

Martouf gave him a quizzical look, but Cleis was more familiar with Jack's turn of phrase. "Good morning, Colonel," he said, keeping his voice low, too. "This..." he indicated Hebron, who was sitting on the edge of the bed, "is Tanith. He has expressed a wish to become one of the Tok'Ra."

"That's your business, not mine," Jack told them, his eyes on Hebron. He looked okay. "But I would like to hear it from his host."

"Colonel..." Cleis began.

Tanith interrupted him. "No, Entar. The Colonel is right to be suspicious." His voice had that peculiar quality characteristic of the Goa'uld. Tanith closed his eyes, bowing his head. When he spoke again, his voice was normal, as Jack remembered it. "What do you want to know?"

Jack was momentarily floored by the question; he had been expecting an argument. He recovered quickly, though. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"I am. This is a strange feeling, but not unpleasant."

"And you're still happy with this...arrangement?"

"I am willing." A hint of a smile touched the man's lips. "Tanith wants me to tell you he is willing to take any test you wish to convince you of his sincerity. He is grateful to you for allowing us to be here."

He was convincing. Jack had to give him that. Apparently Shan'auc was right about the snake. Jack allowed himself to relax a little. Just a little. "I'm glad to hear it," Jack said. "So. How about sharing some of that fine Goa'uld knowledge?"

Cleis stood, placing himself between them. "Now is not the time, Colonel."

Instantly irritated, Jack snapped back. "Oh, I think it is. I agreed to this in expectation of—"

"And we will deliver on that promise. When Tanith is settled in to the Tok'Ra."

Jack bit back the words he wanted to say, with difficulty. See, this was why he had a problem with the Tok'Ra. Every time they asked for help, Earth or the SGA provided it. Every time the Tok'Ra promised...something in exchange. Every time they ended up with nothing. And Cleis thought an alliance between them was a good idea? Good for the Tok'Ra, certainly. The "Tau'ri" seemed to have the short end of the bargain once again.

Then Tanith asked, "What information do you desire?"

That was when Jack began to feel uneasy about this whole deal. There was something about the spin Tanith put on that last word that set off an alarm in Jack's head. He looked at Cleis, not at Tanith. "Anything useful. Strategic information. Technology."

That's when Martouf had to butt in. "Colonel O'Neill, any strategic information Tanith can offer will not be current. That's not the way this works."

Jack frowned at him. Et tu, Brute? What did Carter see in this guy?

"And technology..." Martouf went on, "cannot be imparted quickly. Truly, it would be better for us to have this conversation in a few days time."

Days. Okay, Jack could live with that. Especially with that internal alarm still ringing.

* * *

Teal'c's eyes followed Shan'auc as she and Tanith walked ahead of them alongside the river. It was the first time in many years Teal'c had seen her in daylight. She was still somewhat ill, but much stronger. Strong enough to express a wish to go outside. She loved the sunlight, Teal'c remembered. It was an opportunity for conversation away from the security cameras and omnipresent SFs, and O'Neill agreed to allow them outside on condition they remained in sight of the main buildings and Teal'c remained with them at all times.

Teal'c was happy with that...until Shan'auc and Tanith walked ahead, leaving his side. Jealousy? Not precisely. Tanith was Shan'auc's past, however. Teal'c expected her to focus on the future. What she had achieved with Tanith was a beginning, no more. So he watched them walk ahead, his expression unchanged, his eyes intent.

"What are your plans now?" Martouf asked. "Shan'auc told me you might be returning to Chulak together."

Teal'c nodded, turning his attention to the two Tok'Ra. "If other Jaffa can be taught to communicate with their symbiots, perhaps we may defeat the Goa'uld from within."

Cleis' eyes twinkled with laughter. "That's ambitious, Teal'c, even for you."

"As is the ultimate goal of the Tok'Ra," Teal'c answered.

Cleis and Martouf exchanged a glance. "That's true," Cleis agreed.

Martouf was more cautious. "What Shan'auc has achieved is remarkable, but if other Jaffa can be taught this method of communication, how many will be able to teach in the way she has? I don't doubt the courage of the Jaffa, but this is a difficult task."

"We will succeed," Teal'c insisted. Not all Jaffa would; he knew that. But those who believed as he and Shan'auc believed would have the determination and commitment to succeed. Teal'c had confidence in his people.

"I agree we must be cautious," Cleis added. "It will be some time before any of us can be certain of Tanith's loyalties."

Teal'c's gaze turned reluctantly to Shan'auc and Tanith. They were some distance away now. "Do you believe Tanith is deceiving us?"

Both men were silent for a moment. Eventually, Martouf said, "Entar?"

Cleis nodded. Then Entar spoke. "It is possible. We cannot know for sure. Until we do know, we cannot share any of Tanith's information with the Tau'ri. If they rely on his information and it is false..."

"I understand," Teal'c said. A Goa'uld was certainly capable of that level of deception.

"I hope," Entar added, "you can explain that to Colonel O'Neill. He is unwilling to hear it from me."

Teal'c raised an eyebrow. "O'Neill is—"

They all heard Shan'auc's scream at the same time as the splash. All three men began to run. Teal'c saw Tanith jump into the river after her. Teal'c cursed himself for being too far away, even as he ran. Martouf pulled ahead, faster even than Teal'c. Tanith called out Shan'auc's name.

Then Teal'c was there, waist-deep in icy water, shoving Martouf out of his way. Shan'auc had to be alright. She had to be. She hadn't been in the water long enough to come to harm.

"She is well," Tanith told him. He was holding her out of the water. Shan'auc's eyes were closed.

Teal'c reached beneath the water, intending to lift her. Then he saw the blood.

* * *

Doctor Warner shook his head. "I'm sorry, Teal'c. There's nothing I can do. The injury to her abdomen isn't serious, but her symbiot is dying."

Teal'c kept his expression impassive with an effort.

Martouf sat at Shan'auc's side. He looked up as Warner spoke, meeting Teal'c's eyes sadly. He said something quietly to her then rose. "Entar will ask, but I don't believe the High Council will risk another operative to find a new symbiot."

Teal'c hadn't needed to be told. He bowed his head slowly. "I understand."

"I do know the co-ordinates of the planet where we obtained her symbiot. If Colonel O'Neill is willing to spare a team, I can lead them..."

"Is there time?" Warner asked urgently.

Martouf hesitated. "I don't know."

* * *

"Have a seat." Jack closed his office door and walked around the desk as Cleis sat down. "I've gotta tell you, I'm a little tired of people dying on my watch every time the Tok'Ra knock on our door."

"I understand that, Colonel."

"So?" Jack demanded. He was on edge, regretting having agreed to Teal'c's request. When had anyone been able to stop the big guy when he really wanted something? Even Hammond had been forced to compromise...by giving Teal'c exactly what he wanted. So it should be no surprise that Jack did the same.

That wouldn't make it any less Jack's responsibility if someone was hurt or killed on this go-steal-a-snake mission.

He turned to Cleis. The old man looked unhappy. Jack wasn't surprised. Carl had searched the place where Shan'auc fell thoroughly. He found nothing that could have caused the injury she suffered. Of course, there was quite some current in that river. If driftwood or something had speared her, it was possible it had been washed away from the site. Possible. Jack wasn't buying it, and neither, to judge from his refusal to speculate, was Carl. So...

Cleis took a deep breath. "I hope you will understand that what I have to tell you is what you would call ‘need to know'."

"Duly noted."

"When the Tok'Ra High Council agreed to Shan'auc's request, we knew there was a possibility Shan'auc had been deceived by her symbiot. What has befallen her appears to confirm it. That is why I took Tanith to Vorash with such haste; if I am correct, Vorash is the best place for him, and Shan'auc is safer this way."

"Shan'auc is dying. And what about the man you people talked into being his host?"

"Martouf's precipitate action may yet save her. As for Hebron, as you know the Tok'Ra can remove a symbiot from the host without harming him. However that is not my decision."

Jack couldn't believe what he was hearing. "What? If it's a Goa'uld, what is there to decide?"

"First, we cannot be certain that what happened to Shan'auc was not an accident. We have suspicions, that is all. The High Council may see this as an opportunity...as you might take advantage of a double agent in your ranks."

"You have got to be kidding me! While you're playing with Tanith, what do you think his host is going through?"

Cleis winced. This is no game, Colonel. This is war."

"Hebron is a human being!"

"Yes, he is. He understood the risk and volunteered to take it. We must use this opportunity as best we can. Don't tell me your people have never done the same."

Jack had a sudden flashback to the mission that landed him in an Iraqi prison for four months. Not exactly above board and he had accepted the consequences of that. He was fighting a war, serving his country. That didn't make it right that he'd been left behind. Or that he'd been left to rot in that prison for so long. But he couldn't deny the charge.

* * *

Teal'c crouched beneath the trees, his staff weapon primed as he watched Major Kellerman lead his team over the rise. There were Jaffa in pursuit; Teal'c would fire if he had to but right now SG-4 were between him and them. Pursuit was the objective, of course. Any Jaffa chasing SG-2 would not be in the vicinity of the temple.

Kellerman reached the edge of the trees and Teal'c stood, adding his fire to theirs. On the edge of his vision he saw Kellerman check his watch. It was still a few minutes short of the time Martouf expected to be back. There was no cause to be concerned...yet.

The plan was a simple one. Martouf was the only one of them who could impersonate a Goa'uld, so he would go to the temple and obtain a symbiot for them. He rejected Teal'c's offer to accompany him, saying a Jaffa escort would be advantageous but the shol'va was too well known. He would be recognised and that would blow Martouf's cover. SG-4, with Teal'c, were to create a diversion; Martouf was confident he could gain access to the temple, but leaving it, with a symbiot, was another matter. It would, at best, raise suspicion.

Nodding an acknowledgement of Kellerman's signal, Teal'c took out the last of the Jaffa following them. He turned his gaze to the trail leading to the temple just as Martouf appeared.

"West! Dial it!" Kellerman barked. The captain moved to obey as Teal'c broke cover to meet Martouf.

Shan'auc did not have much time.

* * *

"SG-4 IDC confirmed, Colonel."

"Open the iris," Jack ordered. He left the control room at a run, having been waiting there almost an hour. These days, it was unusual for Jack to have time to hang around the control room when an SGA team was due back. He would be aware of it, always, and met each returning team in the gate room, but waiting for a team to return wasn't Jack's style. He got bored...and frustrated. In a way, he was glad of the ever-growing mountain of paperwork which demanded his attention: it provided a distraction any time he needed one.

Today, however, was a different story. Jack had to be there the moment Teal'c came through that gate. The chance that someone else might, even inadvertently, reveal what Jack needed to tell him, was a risk he couldn't take. With SG-1 still off-world, Jack was possibly the only person on the base who appreciated just how careful he would have to be about what Teal'c was told...and when. Most thought of Teal'c as stoic and emotionless; Jack knew better.

Reaching the base of the ramp, Jack had time to catch his breath. Captain West appeared first, followed by the rest of SG-4. Finally Teal'c and Martouf. No injuries. Thank god for that, at least.

Teal'c carried the jar with a symbiot inside. He almost ran down the ramp to Jack. And stopped.

For a moment Jack couldn't speak. Then he saw the truth register in his friend's eyes and knew he didn't have to.

"Shan'auc?" Teal'c said.

Jack shook his head slowly. "I'm sorry, pal. The Doc said she was too weak...the state she was in when she got here, the transfer...then losing the second one... She died about half an hour ago." Jack tailed off, unable to say more.

He would tell Teal'c everything. Teal'c deserved that much. But not yet.


	8. Past Prologue

In the dimly lit room that served as a morgue for the SGA, clean blue sheets covered the body of a woman. Even through the shapeless covering, an observer could see she had been well formed, her body youthful.

Teal'c approached the table where she lay slowly, oblivious to the presence of others in the room. They were there: O'Neill, silent and watchful, and Warner, nervous and projecting a false empathy; and others, but they were all irrelevant. Teal'c was alone.

He reached for the sheet and drew it away from her face. Each movement he made was slow and deliberate; a part of him already moving into ritual. He folded the sheet back with great care and looked into her face. In the brief moment before his vision blurred with tears he saw that she was beautiful; beautiful in death as she had been in life.

A single tear spilled down his cheek as he leaned over her. He pressed his lips to her cold mouth. "_Tal met. Priam ta'shree, tal ma_."

Finally, shockingly, his strength drained away and Teal'c fell awkwardly to his knees. He forced himself to look up, past the body of this woman he loved, fresh tears filling his eyes.

And saw O'Neill look away, avoiding Teal'c's eyes.

* * *

_Teal'c, First Prime of Apophis and loyal servant of his god, stood in the arched doorway of the chamber, looking at the women within. All of them were beautiful, all young, all dressed in sumptuous robes. All doomed._

_He had just watched Apophis kill one of these women, because she displeased him in some small way. A woman Teal'c had taken from her home planet himself and led to this chamber. And each of these women would suffer the same fate, until Apophis chose one for his queen. Those who remained alive — if any did — would be killed or enslaved. Most likely the former. When the time came, Teal'c would be ordered to take their lives, and he would obey. _

_He had no desire to look upon the dead. He hesitated at the chamber door long enough to pass his god's orders to the slaves guarding the women, then turned away._

_It was then he saw Shan'auc. Just a glimpse of her as she turned the corner ahead of him. It was the first time he had seen her, even from a distance, in ten years. But he knew her. He would never forget the way she moved. He had to follow. _

_No one questioned him as he walked through the corridors of the palace, following the priestess. He noted the laxity of the slaves with distaste; even the First Prime should not be in this part of the palace without being summoned. He followed her to the private chamber of Apophis. He watched her enter. He watched the door close firmly against him. _

_He turned away, unwilling to imagine what might now transpire within the chamber._

* * *

Teal'c stood slowly, taking a deep breath. He did not lean on the table for support. He did not allow his shoulders to slump, nor his expression to give away his feelings. His eyes were now dry. He stood up straight. None of them would see how unsteady he still was.

His eyes fell on O'Neill, who still appeared unwilling to return his gaze. So Teal'c looked to the Tok'Ra. Martouf met Teal'c's eyes with sadness. Cleis met his eyes briefly, then looked away. That was all Teal'c needed.

He crossed the room in a few strides, lifting Cleis and shoving him against the wall. "What are you hiding from me?" he demanded.

"Teal'c!" O'Neill barked, but Teal'c was not listening.

"Tell me!"

Martouf's hand closed about Teal'c's wrist, trying to pull him off Cleis. Teal'c resisted with ease.

Cleis' eyes glowed briefly and Teal'c's grip tightened in response. "I have hidden nothing from you, Teal'c," he said roughly.

O'Neill moved into Teal'c's field of view. "Let him go, Teal'c." The words were spoken casually, almost a suggestion, not an order.

Teal'c relaxed his grip slowly, then stepped away from Cleis. He turned his back on them. _Never hate your enemy. Indifference is a more powerful weapon._ "I will have the truth, O'Neill," he insisted. O'Neill's eyes flickered to Cleis' and that was all the confirmation Teal'c needed. O'Neill was concealing something.

Martouf stepped between Teal'c and Cleis. "We told you there were doubts concerning Tanith's sincerity, Teal'c. There is no more. None of us saw clearly what happened to Shan'auc."

O'Neill looked uncomfortable. "There is one more thing, Teal'c..." he volunteered.

Teal'c listened as O'Neill explained what his Chief of Security found at the scene of Shan'auc's "accident".

* * *

_Teal'c stood outside the largest house in the village, hidden in the shadows. His eyes were fixed on the window he knew to be hers. He had been waiting since darkness fell. He saw her shadow moving within but she did not come near the window. She knew he was there, knew he was waiting. If she chanced to look out of the window and see him there, honour would demand she report his presence and that would be disaster for them both. He would be sent away. _

_So he waited, alone and cold in the winter wind, waiting for darkness within the house. _

_Finally, he saw the last of the lights within extinguished. Though he was chilled to the bone and needed to move, he remained exactly where he was. Though he was eager as only a young Jaffa can be, with great restraint and self-discipline he waited, unmoving in the shadows beneath the largest house. He waited._

_When he judged all within the house should be sleeping, Teal'c moved forward out of the shadows. There was no sound within, no sign of movement. He climbed to the window he had been watching all night. Master Bra'tac taught him well; Teal'c made no sound as he climbed. The shutter was closed, but not latched. He smiled to himself as he entered._

_Within, he hesitated for a moment. His eyes adjusted quickly to the darkness and he could see the shape of her, in the bed. Sleeping. Her room was larger than his entire house...but then, she was the daughter of a high ranking Jaffa. He was a refugee, his family exiled from the domain of Cronos following the execution of Teal'c's father. Teal'c approached the bed. Nervously, he reached out to touch, his large hand hovering above her shoulder momentarily before he felt her warmth against his palm._

_She woke with a gasp. Teal'c covered her mouth with his hand. He did not speak. After a few moments he felt her nod, confirming he was welcome, that she was expecting him. He released her and waited. _

_She moved in the darkness, striking a light. Just a small light, but it filled the air around them. Shan'auc looked up at him, not speaking. She was beautiful. Her lush black hair covered her body in tumbling waves. She wore nothing else._

_He smiled, sitting beside her. He placed a hand over her womb, so recently gifted with her first primta. It was an ancient gesture, understood by all Jaffa. A request._

_She answered by returning the gesture, resting her delicate hand on his womb. No words were needed. He slid into the bed beside her. They made love in silence and at last, near dawn, he left as silently as he came._

* * *

Their strange affair was impossible to explain to the Tau'ri. Teal'c tried once, with Daniel Jackson, but he didn't truly understand the constraints of their ways and rituals. The Jaffa were slaves of the Goa'uld, but within their society they lived with a strict hierarchy. A hierarchy that — at the time — placed Teal'c at the bottom. He was a refugee, the son of a Jaffa who was executed for failing his god. Or so it was perceived on Chulak, where he and his mother fled.

Teal'c held on to his own truth. He swore he would become the best Jaffa he could. One day he would be First Prime of Apophis. One day he would take revenge for the murder of his father.

One day.

Until then, he was merely Teal'c. Teal'c, lowest ranked of all the Jaffa he trained with. Teal'c, who had no idea why a woman such as Shan'auc would notice him, let alone issue that subtle but unmistakable invitation to her bed. Their affair was conducted in secret, under darkness. Had any known of his presence, it would have been called rape, whether she admitted consent or not. As long as they met only in darkness, as long as none knew who lay in her room at night, by Jaffa tradition Shan'auc remained untouched. Virgin. By day she never sought him out, and if they met by chance neither of them would dare to give away, even by a look, what they meant to each other.

Not until Shan'auc reached an age to marry could they reveal their love. Even then, they officially had no choice in the matter. The lives of Jaffa were decided by the gods they served, or by their priests.

No, Teal'c had no words to explain it to Daniel Jackson and ask him to understand. He tried to understand the ways of the Jaffa, but he failed.

As Teal'c had failed Shan'auc...for a second time.

* * *

_"There is no choice, Teal'c! Apophis has chosen for you. Would you defy your god?" _

_"I would," Teal'c answered defiantly. He was still holding her wrists in his hands. He knew he was hurting her. She gave no sign of it._

_"Do not say such things!" she whispered, shocked. She wrenched out of his hold, striding away from him. Her arms crossed over her chest she turned back. "You would refuse the wife Apophis has given to you? You will lose everything you have worked so hard to gain." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "For...me?"_

_Teal'c took her into his arms, kissing her. "For us."_

_She raised a hand and with shame he saw he had marked her wrist. Her fingertips traced the contour of his cheek. "It is too late, Teal'c."_

_"It is not," he insisted, but her quiet assurance made him falter. _

_Her eyes were dark and clear, meeting his. "I will never love another, Teal'c," she said quietly. "Goodbye."_

* * *

From the doorway of the now-empty morgue, Teal'c looked down at her body. She looked at peace.

Teal'c had never wasted time with _if only_. Yet he couldn't entirely suppress the thought that came to mind, along with the memory of the day she left him. Had he been stronger... Had he dared to challenge the choice the priests made for him...

She would have been killed. Truly, Teal'c made the only choice he could that day. He allowed her to go. He tried to hate her for leaving him but never succeeded. He married the woman they chose for him. Made a son with her. Even learned to love her. And never spoke or forgot Shan'auc's name.

* * *

Jack shivered in the night air as he walked beside Teal'c. They walked in silence down the pathway toward the residential buildings. As they reached the fork in the path that led to O'Neill's quarters, both men slowed to a stop.

"Teal'c...I...er..." Jack stumbled over the words, searching for some subtle way to tell Teal'c he shouldn't be alone tonight. "Look, your usual room in the guest block is ready for you. But you're welcome to crash at my place. Some company might help..."

"I will be fine," Teal'c answered firmly.

"I know. But if you want to talk, or...I don't know..."

"O'Neill. I am unfamiliar with human rituals at such times, but I must spend this night alone."

Exactly what Jack did not want to hear. But he knew better than to argue with Teal'c on this one. Shrugging inwardly, he added lamely, "Well, if you change your mind..."

Teal'c nodded slightly in reply, and walked away from him. Jack let him go. Then he hurried to his own quarters and called Carl. He told him to make sure a guard was placed on Teal'c's door. And on the Tok'Ra.

* * *

After three hours of attempting to meditate, Teal'c was still unable to reach kel'no'reem. He was unable to still his mind or reach the necessary level of relaxation. He knew he should keep trying; to fail to kel'no'reem was dangerous to his health. But he had no heart for this tonight.

Rising from the floor, he extinguished his candles one by one, all except one. He lifted that candle and placed it beside the bed, where he lay down, lacing his hands behind his head, and stared at the ceiling.

* * *

_Teal'c knocked gently on Shan'auc's door and entered without waiting for a response. He knew she was there before he entered. The room was lit with candles he had given to her. She lay on the ground, her eyes closed in kel'no'reem. It was certainly not an unusual thing to find a Jaffa doing. Teal'c moved into the room, closing the door behind him quietly. He sat on the edge of the bed and waited._

_Normally in kel'no'reem the body was completely still. And vulnerable. Kel'no'reem is an internal process. Not so for Shan'auc. Her hand moved to her abdomen and Teal'c heard her speak. The words were indistinct but there was such passion in her voice, such love... He frowned. How could any of them trust this?_

_After some time, Shan'auc opened her eyes. She took a deep breath, ending her meditation. Sitting up slowly she smiled at Teal'c as if she expected to see him there. Just as she used to, so many years before._

_For a moment, the memory of their lost love overwhelmed him. It was so many years in their past...longer than a human lifetime. The years had been kind to Shan'auc. She had kept her youth and beauty._

_She was not his. She was a priestess of Apophis._

_"The others do not believe me," Shan'auc said. _

_It was true. Teal'c answered, "Entar does, or he would not have agreed to contact the Tok'Ra." Daniel Jackson's words; he hoped they were true._

_"And you, Teal'c?"_

_"I do not," he said firmly. Honest and brutal._

_She stood approaching him. "You have known me since we were children, Teal'c. How can you doubt me?"_

_"I have pledged my life to freeing our people from the Goa'uld. You pledged yours to the temple of Apophis."_

_"No! I believe now, as you do, that they are false gods."_

_"Words from one who became a priestess of the temple." Words from one who shared Apophis' bed._

_He saw her brow furrow in pain and she turned away from him. "When Apophis returned to Chulak he did not do so in victory. He came to punish us all. His forces — Jaffa strange to us — swept through the towns and villages... thousands were killed in one night and none of us know why."_

_Teal'c knew why. Bra'tac described Apophis' attack after it happened. Apophis was searching for the son of Sha're. Only Amonet knew where she had sent the child, and Amonet was dead. By Teal'c's hand. After Apophis' attack on Chulak, the Tau'ri had sent what aid they could to the Jaffa left behind, through Bra'tac. But Teal'c himself had not been permitted to go. The Tau'ri were still building their new alpha base and Teal'c was needed there. _

_Shan'auc was still speaking. "...in chaos, Teal'c. Many are ready to turn against the gods. They need only a leader they can believe in. Bra'tac does what he can and he is respected but all know he is near the end of his life. He cannot be the one to lead our people into the future." There was an accusation in her eyes. "And you, who inspired the rebellion; you who had the courage to defy Apophis; I find you here, among people not your own. Why are you not where you are needed?"_

_Angry, Teal'c grasped her shoulders, holding her at arms-length. "Do not question me!"_

_"Someone must. Our people are suffering."_

_Teal'c was well aware of the truth of that. His choice to remain on Earth and serve the Tau'ri was not without consequences. The people of Chulak were not their priority. Teal'c had to live with that._

_"I know what our people suffer," he told her, his voice betraying some of his pain._

_Her face remained stern. "When I surrender the symbiot I carry within me, I will die, Teal'c. When I am gone, you must continue my work. You must return to Chulak and lead our people to freedom."_

_He shook his head negatively. "I have pledged my allegiance to this world, for as long as they continue to battle the Goa'uld."_

_"But now is the time, Teal'c! There is much unrest on Chulak. Our people need only a leader. Do not leave Bra'tac to shoulder the burden alone."_

_Teal'c frowned. She kept repeating that phrase: they need a leader. Was it true? Could he truly make such a profound difference now? Or did she repeat it hoping she would believe it?_

_It didn't matter. His choice was made. "Speak of it no more," he ordered harshly. Her accusations wounded him deeply. There was too much truth in what she said. And her talk of her own death..._

_She followed him as he walked away from her. "Of what shall we speak, then?" She stroked his upper arm, her fingertips tracing his muscle in a way he remembered. "Perhaps of the days we walked together in the Red Hills? Perhaps of the nights we spent together in my father's house?"_

_He rounded on her. "Or perhaps of the nights you spent as the concubine of Apophis!" The words came from his pain and were instantly regretted. By then it was too late to take them back._

_Shan'auc paled. "I was a priestess, Teal'c. I had no choice." Her eyes met Teal'c's steadily. "You, too, married another."_

_"Drey'auc was my wife," Teal'c admitted. It was true enough; though he would not have married her if Shan'auc had stayed with him. Speaking quietly, he added, "But she never owned my soul as you did." And as their eyes met in the candlelight he corrected himself. "As you do."_

_He was unaware of either of them moving, but she was in his arms, warm and alive. He kissed her and she returned his kiss with a passion long denied._

_"Forgive me, Teal'c," she whispered as he lifted her in his arms._

* * *

_And later that night, as they lay together in an SGC bed, Shan'auc used his languor, as women have for countless centuries, to press her point once more. Teal'c was not oblivious to her manipulation, but he listened to her stories of home. The more she spoke of the suffering Apophis left behind on Chulak — suffering Teal'c, if not Shan'auc, knew began because of what he had done — the more he wondered if she were correct. If he wronged his people by remaining among the Tau'ri._

_Perhaps this was why Bra'tac sent Shan'auc to him. Perhaps he knew she would say the things he could not. With the return of Aphophis the Jaffa of Chulak might be persuaded to rise against their former gods. _

_For a moment — just a moment — Teal'c saw himself leading that great rebellion, with Shan'auc at his side. And in that moment his choice was made._

* * *

And Shan'auc's reward, for loving him, for trusting him, was death.

Her face appeared before him in the flame of the single candle. _I will never love another, Teal'c._

"Nor I," Teal'c said aloud.

* * *

  


### Next Day

When Cleis and Teal'c returned to the SGC, Daniel knew immediately that something was wrong. Teal'c's eyes looked..._dead_ was the word that came to mind. Knowing Teal'c as he did, Daniel said nothing while they were on the base.

That evening, he waited, hoping Teal'c would choose to talk about it. But Teal'c was characteristically silent, laying back on the couch with one of his pulp magazines in his hands. Daniel knew he wasn't actually reading. It had gone on for long enough. If Teal'c didn't want to talk, he would say so, but Daniel had to give him the opportunity.

He moved his wheelchair closer to his friend. "What happened, Teal'c?" he asked.

Teal'c laid the magazine aside. "She is dead." The words were clipped, curt, even by Teal'c's standards.

"Shan'auc?" Daniel found himself thinking of Sha're and understood what Teal'c must be feeling. Shan'auc had been Teal'c's hope, as Sha're had been Daniel's. "What happened?" he repeated.

Teal'c told Daniel about Tanith, and Shan'auc's murder. About his desire for revenge, thwarted by the Tok'Ra who now protected Tanith. His brow creased in a frown as he spoke. He stood and paced across the carpet. "How dare they stop me? How dare they?"

Daniel fought an urge to back away. Teal'c in a rage could be terrifying. But he had learned how to handle Teal'c in the past year. Speaking quietly, Daniel said, "You want to kill him."

Teal'c's dark eyes blazed. "Yes, I want to kill him. I want to place my hands on his throat and strangle the life from him." His hands flexed in front of his chest, illustrating his words. "I want to look upon his lifeless body – "

"_His host's_ lifeless body," Daniel corrected him sharply. "His host is an innocent victim in all this. Do you really want to kill an innocent for your revenge?"

"He is a Goa'uld."

"If you're about to tell me nothing of the host survives, you know that's not true. If you doubt it at all, go to Abydos and talk to Skaara."

Silence. Teal'c's expression darkened. For a moment, Daniel thought he had gone too far.

Then Teal'c sat down again. "You are correct, Daniel Jackson."

Daniel breathed a sigh of relief. "The Tok'Ra can remove the Goa'uld without harming the host," he reminded Teal'c. "They will. That man was willing to risk his life and freedom for the Tok'Ra. For god's sake, give him a chance to live through it."

"You are correct, Daniel Jackson," Teal'c repeated unhappily.

Daniel looked at his friend, seeing his defeat. "Cold comfort, huh? I do know how you feel, you know. Shan'auc was...special to you, wasn't she?"

"Shan'auc could have been the hope of all my people."

"That isn't what I meant."

The two men shared a long look. Daniel held his friend's eyes, well aware how difficult this was for Teal'c.

Teal'c bowed his head. "She was...my mate."

"Your lover?" _Mate_ seemed a strange way to put it.

Teal'c nodded. "Yes, Daniel."

"I'm sorry." Daniel reached out a hand, touching Teal'c's shoulder gently. "Are you okay?"

"No." Teal'c hesitated, then turned to Daniel. "I cannot allow Shan'auc's sacrifice to be in vain. I intend to return to Chulak."

Daniel swallowed. He hadn't been prepared for that. "Chulak? Isn't that...?" He stopped himself. Of course it was dangerous, and of course Teal'c knew that. "I suppose if that's what you feel you have to do...but don't make a decision like that too quickly, Teal'c. Take some time. There are other things you could do."

They talked until the early hours of the morning. Daniel found himself doing most of the talking; not that this was unusual with Teal'c. By the time they retired for the night, Daniel thought he had at least persuaded Teal'c to take some time and explore all his options before making a decision. Daniel wouldn't give up hope, but it seemed likely the SGC was going to lose Teal'c. Shan'auc's death was a watershed for him; forcing him to question what he was doing in a way he hadn't since he joined SG-1.

SG-1. That was the real problem, perhaps. Daniel knew Teal'c didn't enjoy his current work at the SGC as much as he had serving with Jack and Sam. Daniel felt the same way, but _he_ didn't have the choices open to Teal'c. Now Teal'c saw a different world through Shan'auc's eyes. The SGC was no longer enough for him.

Jack might be able to help. Jack understood Teal'c in ways that Daniel didn't...yes, Jack might be the answer.

* * *

Preparing for bed took Daniel a long time, especially at times like this, when he was overtired. At least he could walk a little now, even if it was only from the wheelchair to the bed. Sitting on the edge of the bed, Daniel surveyed the collection of pills he kept on the nightstand. He selected his usual painkiller and swallowed it with some water. He was about to lie down when he heard a crash from the next room.

Concerned, Daniel stood up. The painkiller would take a while to work; in the meantime he moved slowly to minimise the discomfort of walking as he crossed the room to the wheelchair. Settling into the chair with relief, he headed to Teal'c's room. The familiar scent of burning wax reached him, a scent that had come to mean security to Daniel over the past year. He smiled in spite of himself, then pushed the door open a crack, calling Teal'c's name softly. If Teal'c were in kel'no'reem he probably wouldn't hear...

But Teal'c answered at once. "Daniel, what is wrong?"

Daniel opened the door the rest of the way. "I was going to ask you that. I heard a crash."

"I am fine."

_Yeah, and I'm the tooth fairy._ Daniel recognised a lie when he heard it. "No, you're not. What's wrong, Teal'c?" He wasn't expecting a truthful answer, but he got one.

Teal'c was silent for a moment, then confessed, "I am unable to reach kel'no'reem."

Daniel swallowed. _That's bad._ If Teal'c couldn't kel'no'reem he would get sick. He could die. "Do you want me to call Janet?"

"No. I will be fine."

So that was the way of it, Daniel thought grimly. Half a dozen questions came to mind, but Daniel didn't ask them. He was fairly sure he knew the answers: yes, this had something to do with Shan'auc's death; yes, Teal'c knew it was dangerous; no, Teal'c wouldn't let Daniel call for help...and so on. Time to try a different approach.

Daniel moved further into the room and closed the door behind him. "I've studied meditation a little, but I know kel'no'reem is quite different. Can you show me how it works?"

"You are not Jaffa, Daniel Jackson."

_And grateful for it! _"No, I don't have a symbiot, and I understand that's the purpose of kel'no'reem. But humans can reach extremely deep states of meditation; it might be similar." He put the brake on his wheelchair and began to stand.

Teal'c was at his side at once.

"It's okay, Teal'c. I'm getting better at this." Daniel was grateful for Teal'c's help as he moved into the circle of candlelight. He sat down with difficulty opposite Teal'c's space.

Teal'c nodded, then set a new candle on the ground in front of Daniel. He sat down in his usual place on the floor. "Light the candle," he instructed.

Teal'c's voice was calm, reassuring Daniel that he wasn't pushing in unwanted. He lifted a burning candle, using its flame to light the new one. His position was uncomfortable, and he wasn't certain meditation of any sort would be feasible for him right then, but this wasn't about him. He hoped this would help Teal'c. He set the candle down carefully. "What now?"

"Look into the flame. Begin by breathing, slowly and deeply..."


	9. Choices

### A Month Later

"The Tok'Ra Council won't accept any wording that could later be interpreted as an obligation to share weapons technology," Cleis pointed out.

"I know," Daniel sighed. "But the President won't accept it unless we can agree some sort of provision for exchange of knowledge, or trade. Cleis, our search for new technologies is the reason the SGC exists."

"We would be willing to share medical technology."

Daniel shook his head. "It won't be enough. Tok'Ra healing devices are designed to work on your own kind. They're not very efficient on an unblended human."

The treaty was beginning to give Daniel a headache. He had been thrilled to be asked to work on the treaty: the first formal alliance Earth would make with an alien race. It was a high profile job. But Cleis was making it very hard work.

Daniel didn't mind hard work. The treaty was important to both sides. The broad details were already agreed, having been negotiated at SGA, but the wording of the treaty itself had been left in Cleis' hands by the Tok'Ra high council. They didn't have long to get the details finalised. Cleis would have to return to Vorash to get their final version approved before the treaty could be signed.

The issue of technology was the last major challenge. The Tok'Ra would not give away weapons, for much the same reasons the Tolan had refused to do so: they believed (with some justification, Daniel thought) that any weapons technology they shared would be used on Earth, not only against the Goa'uld. On the other side of the argument, the people of Earth desperately needed the technologies the Tok'Ra could give them. They had agreed in principle that trade was acceptable to both sides, but wording that part of the treaty was difficult.

Daniel leaned back in his chair with a groan. "We've been at this for hours; I'm not thinking straight. Can we take a break?"

"Of course." Cleis began to clear the desk.

Daniel reached for his cane and stood up slowly. A month after taking his first steps, Daniel could walk short distances without much difficulty. It was tiring and painful, but it felt wonderful to be free of that wheelchair. He was beginning to accept that he would never be "fit" again, but things could be much worse than they were. With Teal'c spending more of his time at the SGA now, it was just as well.

He made the coffee strong and poured himself a mug. With the mug cradled in his hands he turned, intending to offer Cleis a mug. Before he could speak, a spasm of pain shot up his back. He found himself falling. The mug shattered on the floor, coffee spilling everywhere. Daniel didn't hit the ground; somehow Cleis was there at his side, catching him as he fell, and helping him to a chair.

"Daniel, are you all right?"

Daniel couldn't speak at first. When he recovered his breath, he said, "Fine...I'll be fine."

"I'll call Doctor Fraiser," Cleis offered.

"No. Please." He was feeling better now; the pain was ebbing away. Daniel glanced down at the floor. "What a mess!"

"No matter. I'll clean it up. Stay where you are." Cleis poured a new mug of coffee for Daniel then brought a chair around to sit beside him. Handing Daniel the coffee, Entar said, "You push yourself too hard, my friend."

"Not hard enough," Daniel muttered. He didn't notice at first it was Cleis' symbiot who had spoken. "Not all of us heal as easily as you," he added, accepting the coffee and sipping it gratefully.

"Precisely why you should take better care of yourself. Daniel...I discussed your condition with Doctor Fraiser."

"You what?" Daniel was more surprised than angry; it was unlike Entar to pry.

"Forgive me," Entar asked. "I have been aware for some time that you are in pain, Daniel. I know a great deal about the human body, and I am familiar with the technologies of many races. I thought I might know of some technology that could heal you, or at least improve your situation."

Daniel set the mug on the table. His hands were shaking and he didn't want to drop it again. He looked over to Entar hopefully. "Did you find anything?"

Entar hesitated. "There are things that could provide temporary relief, but only temporary. I'm afraid the only available technology that could permanently repair the damage to your nerves is a sarcophagus."

Not a chance. Daniel turned away from Entar, trying to make the gesture seem natural until his had his reaction under control. Few things scared him more, but he definitely didn't want to have to explain his feelings to Entar. Daniel would never use a sarcophagus again. Ever. Not even if the only alternative were death. _Like giving a bottle of vodka to a recovering alcoholic..._

He didn't need to explain. Entar couldn't know why Daniel felt the way he did but he was familiar with Daniel's hostility toward that particular piece of Goa'uld technology. "I know that isn't an option for you, Daniel. I'm not sure we could obtain a sarcophagus even if I didn't think it too dangerous to use. There are other races with less harmful technologies that could help you, but I know of none who would be willing to share."

"So why bring it up, Entar?"

"Because there is one other thing..." Entar began, but didn't go on.

Discomfort wasn't an emotion Daniel was used to seeing on Entar's face. The Tok'Ra was usually very forward with his opinions. "Entar...what?" Daniel prompted.

"Please understand. I am not urging this on you. I know how you might feel about this..."

"About _what_?"

"There is one thing I am certain could heal you completely if you are willing to consider it. A Tok'Ra symbiot would have no difficulty restoring your body to full health and strength."

Daniel felt his stomach turn over. He hadn't expected that. "Entar, I don't think..."

"Hear me out," Entar interrupted, and Daniel nodded, staying quiet. After a moment, Entar went on. "Cleis has been my host for more than three hundred years. I cannot keep him alive indefinitely. We have perhaps two years, or three. No longer."

"You're not asking me to be _a_ host, are you? You're asking me to be _yours_."

Entar nodded. "I am. I believe it would benefit both of us. As I said, I'm not trying to talk you into anything. I'm simply offering an option. I can help you, my friend. I _want_ to help you."

_Jack, help me, please..._

_How much would I remember if you chose me? Something of the host must survive._

Daniel didn't trust himself to speak. He drank coffee, covering, he hoped, his hesitation. Memories of that terrible day on Chulak, the day he lost Sha're, filled his mind. Sha're, dressed as a queen, her eyes cold and hard and glowing.

"Have I offended you, Daniel?" Entar asked him.

Daniel shook his head, finally finding his voice again. "No. No, you haven't. It's just...Entar, you know my history. My wife was taken by the Goa'uld. I _know_ what you're suggesting isn't the same thing, but...it's difficult to imagine myself doing that." Worried that Entar would be offended by that, Daniel added, "I'll think about it, Entar. I will."

"That's all I can ask."

* * *

Daniel shivered in the chill air as he fumbled for his keys. Winter was definitely setting in; there would be snow to contend with, soon. He got the door open and was greeted by a flood of warm air and the scent of burning wax. Daniel smiled to himself: that had to mean Teal'c was back. He could talk to Teal'c.

His evening with Janet hadn't been much fun. Daniel was too distracted. Entar's suggestion haunted him.

He hesitated outside the door of Teal'c's room. There was no sound within. If Teal'c was deep in kel'no'reem he would not be aware of Daniel's presence. Daniel shrugged. Morning would be soon enough to talk to his friend.

Sleep was slow in coming. Entar hadn't offended him. Far from it; Daniel knew it was a weird sort of compliment. Entar took him by surprise, though and it threw Daniel off-balance. He thought he _should_ have anticipated the offer. Entar was his friend. Entar knew everything Daniel had been through in the past year, and Janet would have told him there was nothing more Earth medicine could do for Daniel. Daniel knew the way the Tok'Ra thought. They chose hosts who were close to death, or who had debilitating illnesses because such people benefited most from blending. Share your body, share your life with a Tok'Ra and in return you get perfect health and decades, or even centuries of extended life. It sounded like a good bargain and Daniel should have expected the suggestion.

But it took him completely by surprise. More shocking to Daniel was his own willingness to consider it.

A few years earlier, when Sam led SG-1 to find the Tok'Ra, all of them had been asked to consider it. Daniel hesitated no more than a few seconds before refusing. What had changed for him since then?

Everything. Then, Daniel still had hope of finding Sha're. He didn't consider himself free to make any sort of a commitment to anyone else. Now she was dead, and – in that sense, at least – he was free. Then, he was a member of SG-1, fit and healthy. Now he needed a cane just to walk across a room and took painkillers instead of antihistamines. The doctors had done all they could. More surgery was too risky. Janet had been brutally honest about that. All he could do was keep up the physiotherapy and keep ignoring the pain. Medicine couldn't help him.

Entar _could_. It was tempting. There were so many things Daniel used to take for granted that he could no longer do. Taking a book from the top shelf in his office was a major event. Carrying a lunch tray across the commissary when he ate at the SGC was impossible without someone to help him. Even a simple thing like taking a shower was hazardous now. Entar could change all that.

At what cost?

There was another reason Daniel refused the Tok'Ra before: he didn't understand, then, that they were different from the Goa'uld. He was willing to entertain the possibility that the Tok'Ra were sincere – especially as Sam believed it – but he wasn't willing to bet his life on it. Now, it wasn't a question of belief. Daniel _knew_ Entar wasn't a Goa'uld. They were friends. His relationship with Janet was serious, but it wasn't _that_ serious. Not yet. He was free to make that commitment to Entar, and the Tok'Ra...if he wanted to.

And that was the real question, wasn't it?

What did he want?

With no real answers to the questions plaguing him, Daniel drifted into an uneasy sleep.

* * *

_Hathor's recreation of the SGC was eerily perfect. Daniel glanced sideways at Sam as they were led through the corridors by Hathor's Jaffa. She met his eyes once, shaking her head imperceptibly. Daniel understood. If they attempted to escape, it wouldn't help Jack. They had to wait until the three of them were together. So Sam went quietly with the guards who led her to a cell and locked her in. Daniel, seeing no alternative, allowed them to take him, too. _

_When he realised where they were taking him, he wished he could have fought. The room was a copy of the VIP quarters Hathor had been assigned at the SGC. The room where Daniel made love to her – if love was the right word for what they did. The door closed behind him and he was alone. He remained standing. The significance of the room wasn't lost on him. He couldn't bring himself to sit down, or to relax. Already his memory was dredging up that day...he remembered drowning in her kisses, his body responding to her will, her nails drawing blood from his back when he..._

_No!_

_The door of his luxurious prison opened to reveal her. Daniel's soul cried out in denial but he was rooted to the spot as she entered – alone, showing no fear of him. Why should she fear? A small, treacherous part of him still longed for Hathor, as revolted as he was by what she tried to do to him. She was beautiful the way a king cobra is beautiful, and just as merciless._

_"Beloved," she breathed, reaching up to touch his cheek with metal-sheathed fingers. Daniel shuddered away from her touch. He drew breath to voice his denial and her lips covered his, her poison pouring into his lungs. He was carried away by the power of it. She had claimed they were immune to her power, but Daniel wasn't...not to this._

_Helplessly, hungrily, Daniel took her into his arms, greedy for more of that delirious poison. And they were on the bed, she was above him and he was naked, reaching out to touch heaven._

_In the aftermath he lay back on satin sheets, still captive beneath her body, watching the rainbows in her eyes. Lips parted and breathed a single word: "Eternity." Which of them had spoken? Did it matter?_

_Too late, he knew. The symbiot curled about her fingers: an obscene embrace. Daniel was paralysed by fear and by her weight above him. Her hand, bearing the symbiot, moved closer to him, caressing his flesh, and he could not move away._

_Sudden, searing pain in his neck. A scream was forced from him and she drank it down like nectar. The pain went on and on – his head was splitting in two and his lungs burned for lack of air. There was a crushing weight inside him, he wanted to fight it but he didn't know how. He was losing himself, inside himself, fracturing, dying..._

_Through it all there was Hathor. Her eyes, her voice... "For eternity, beloved."_

* * *

His hand shook so badly that as much brandy ended up on the table as went into the glass. Daniel drew the line at drinking straight from the bottle, though. He lifted the glass, draining it in one go. He shuddered at the taste and the glass fell from his hand to smash at his feet. He bent down to pick up the pieces and pain shot up his back. Involuntarily, he cried out.

"Let me." It was Teal'c's voice. Daniel looked up gratefully, allowing Teal'c to help him up before he knelt to gather the shards of broken glass.

"Thank you," Daniel said quietly.

Teal'c dumped the shards of glass into the trash. "What is wrong?"

"A nightmare. I'm okay, Teal'c."

"If that were true, you would not need _this_." Teal'c took the brandy bottle from Daniel's hand, putting it away firmly. "You have not suffered from nightmares for some time," Teal'c observed. He took Daniel's arm and Daniel leaned on him gratefully as Teal'c led him to a chair.

"It was Hathor," he confessed.

Teal'c did not pursue the subject.

* * *

  


### A Week Later

Jack looked tired.

The smart dress blues he wore did nothing to hide Jack's fatigue from Daniel's eyes. He was all too aware of the toll the past nine or ten months had taken on his friend: there were more lines around Jack's eyes and mouth and more grey in his hair. As Jack walked down the ramp from the stargate, the stiffness of his walk betrayed a worsening of Jack's knee problem. Not enough exercise and a doctor who paid less attention to him now he no longer led an SG team, Daniel guessed.

There was something else as well; something that had been formless until that moment. Daniel could see in his friend now a hint of the Colonel O'Neill he first met. That Jack had been a harder, colder man. Daniel's eyebrows furrowed in a small, fleeting frown as he realised he wasn't imagining seeing something of that in Jack again. There was a shadow of darkness hanging around Jack that had not been there since their first mission to Abydos.

Daniel wondered why it had reappeared now. Jack was light-years removed from the NID, he had one less person to answer to and he had wanted his own command for a long time. Perhaps the dogs which chafed the heels of General Hammond were nevertheless still making their presence felt. Of course, being the boss now meant that Jack had one less person in between him and them. Or could this have something to do with the SGA's recent dealings with the Tok'Ra? Rumour reached across the light-years between them — rumours hinting that the Tok'Ra had been a little too high-handed recently in their dealings with the SGA. In which case, Jack might be none to happy to be returning to Earth for the signing of this first treaty between the "Tau'ri" and the Tok'Ra. The treaty Daniel had worked so hard to achieve.

He sighed, watching warily as Jack greeted General Vidrine. Somehow Jack managed to give his own private raised-eyebrow and cockeyed smile of a greeting to Daniel over the humourless general's shoulder. Daniel grinned back and followed as Vidrine led them from the gate room. Jack did his best to exchange all the usual pleasantries but it was plain he was out of practice; and Jack never cared much for such things anyway.

Daniel smiled to himself, hearing Jack steer the conversation directly to the schedule for the main event. Knowing Jack, he would already be working out how much time he would be forced to play diplomat and how early he might be able to escape the prying eyes of "the brass". Jack glanced over his shoulder and past the general as they walked to the elevator, his eyes fastening laser-like on Daniel for a second: a clear message that he wanted a word with Daniel when they had an opportunity. It wasn't surprising, Daniel thought, nodding his understanding. They hadn't spoken privately since Jack took charge of the SGA. There was catching up to do...and of course the tapes of the recent play-offs waiting safely in Daniel's office to be handed over before Jack left.

A small chuckle bubbled under the surface but the only outward sign was the smile pulling at the corners of Daniel's mouth. He was wondering if Jack still got as enthusiastic over the tapes Daniel sent out to him as Daniel knew he could be. Perhaps not. If that shadow was anything to go by, then the weight of Jack's responsibilities must be intruding even into Jack's personal time.

There was no more time to think about this, however, as the alarm sounded indicating an off-world stargate activation. Almost at the elevator, they all waited for the expected confirmation. The voice of the technician on duty came over the tannoy, announcing the arrival of the Tok'Ra delegation.

"They're early," Jack muttered. "That can't be good..."

"Why not, Jack?" Vidrine asked, a slight frown of puzzlement creasing his forehead.

"Well, you know how it is, General, or...no, maybe you don't. See, when the Tok'Ra want something this badly it's usually us who end up paying for it."

The level of bitterness in Jack's voice shocked even Daniel, who had been half-prepared for it. He knew Jack was wary of the alliance with the Tok'Ra — his emphatic refusal to contemplate trusting a Goa'uld came to mind — but surely the Tok'Ra had done enough since their initial contact to prove themselves? The Tok'Ra infiltrator on Hathor's base risked her life — twice — to save theirs: first to let the SGC know that SG-1 had been taken captive, and again to save Jack from being made a Goa'uld host. And that was only one example of the good their Tok'Ra friends had done for Earth. What had happened recently to turn Jack so strongly against them?

"Doctor Jackson," Vidrine said shortly.

Daniel understood. He and Vidrine would have to return to the gate room to greet the Tok'Ra. That private conversation with Jack was going to have to wait. He mumbled a "Yes, sir," and fell into step behind Vidrine as Jack continued on to the conference room. He felt a twinge in his back and stifled a groan, wondering if he should have swallowed his pride and used his wheelchair. It was fortunate they would be seated for the summit itself or he would have trouble getting through this day. It was early winter and the onset of the cold and damp crept into his every joint and bone. He could neither sit, stand nor walk for any length of time without swapping from one to the other, and he still tired so easily. The injury had aged his body by thirty years, it seemed. This was going to be a very long day.

The Tok'Ra delegation included one familiar face. Daniel had time to offer a smile of greeting to Martouf as the introductions were made. Then he found himself meeting the eyes of the Supreme High Councillor of the Tok'Ra and was caught for an instant by that piercing gaze. He felt as if his soul was stripped bare in that instant and Per'sus knew him completely. The moment passed quickly, but Daniel's eyes followed the High Councillor as he spoke briefly to Vidrine. _What did you see? _he asked silently.

Cleis, standing silent at his side until that moment, leaned closer to Daniel. "He can't turn you to stone, you know," he said quietly, a teasing lilt to his voice.

Daniel saw the smile on his friend's lips and the merriment in his eyes and smiled back nervously.

The conference room on level seventeen was the same room they had used for the treaty negotiations with the Asgard and Goa'uld more than a year before. Originally a storeroom, it was now a fully functional conference facility, used for any small, official gatherings which — like this one — did not concern the SGC directly and were too large for the briefing room with its view of the stargate. When Daniel walked in Jack was already seated in his allotted place at the top table; the remaining seats there were reserved for General Vidrine, the Tok'Ra Supreme High Councillor and his chosen aide — Martouf — and for the US President and his aide, when they arrived.

Daniel and Cleis took their allotted seats at the table on the left hand side of the room, and Daniel cast another glance in Jack's direction. He was tapping his fingers irritably on the table, but nonetheless flashed a quick grin at Daniel as their eyes met, the wry quirk of his lips letting Daniel know he was looking forward to getting away from all this, too.

Daniel returned the grin with interest. There was a bottle of twelve-year-old single malt in his office, which he had been holding off opening. In the back of his mind he had decided that the bottle had Jack's name on it and he was determined not to open it unless it was to share with Jack. Of course, drinking on the base wasn't exactly allowed, but when had Jack ever cared about that?

That was one of the aspects of Jack's character that Daniel missed the most. It would be good to have it back, even if only for a few hours.

* * *

Martouf going crazy was the last thing anyone expected.

When the President walked in, surrounded by half-a-dozen aides and bodyguards, Martouf started firing some sort of laser-weapon. For Daniel, the instinct to protect himself kicked in at the same moment Cleis threw himself sideways and bore Daniel to the floor. The discomfort in his back flared into white-hot agony. Daniel's cry of pain was drowned out by gunfire.

What happened next did not become clear to Daniel until he heard the full story at the debriefing twenty-four hours later. At the time, from his position on the floor of the conference room, utterly unable to move, Daniel heard incoherent shouts and gunfire. He was dimly aware that the table protected him. He heard Cleis entreating him to stay still and wait for medical help.

_Oh, god, really not a problem there. Definitely not going anywhere at the moment..._

He seemed to lose track of time, only vaguely aware of moving in and out of consciousness, feeling the effects of shock moving over him like a drug. The next thing he recognised for sure was an oxygen mask covering his mouth and nose, right before he passed out completely.

* * *

Daniel woke in the blessed quiet of the infirmary, three hours later, lying face down. His back was pleasantly numb, but on a deeper level he still felt as if he had gone three rounds with Mike Tyson. He was alone except for the nursing staff; he couldn't even see Janet anywhere. He had no time to worry about that, though, because she emerged from her office as if his thought had summoned her. Her eyes met his and she hurried over to his side, obviously trying not to, but still... It made his heart glad that she cared for him so much.

"Hey, Daniel. How do you feel? Any pain anywhere?"

While she talked, Janet was moving back and forth, checking his pulse, pupil reaction and his other vitals. A faint trace of her perfume reached him as she adjusted the thin pillow beneath his head and he smiled.

"Well, I guess that's an indication you're not feeling too bad. I hope?"

"Yeah, not too bad. I really love you, you know."

He said it to fluster her, on an impulse, but it seemed she was ready for him. Apart from a slight heat in her cheeks and a quick twitch of her lips, she carried on writing on his chart without giving any sign she heard him. Then she met his eyes again, her familiar smile asking him as clearly as words if that was the best he could do. He wanted to laugh in reply, but knew he would pay for it in discomfort if he did.

So he settled for letting her see him smile again, before he asked the question most on his mind. "What happened?"

Janet returned the chart to the clip at the end of the bed. "I'm not exactly sure what happened, but from what I've been told, it seems as if Martouf tried to kill the President."

"Yeah, I saw that. He had some kind of weapon concealed in his right hand. Cleis pushed me to the floor, and I don't remember much of anything after that. Is the President okay? And what happened to Martouf?"

Janet hesitated, biting her lip.

"Janet..."

"The President is fine. But Martouf...they had to kill him, Daniel. They just...couldn't stop him any other way."

Daniel's first thought was _It couldn't have been Martouf._ He didn't know Martouf well, but he couldn't believe him an assassin. His second thought was of Sam. This would devastate her. She and Martouf...well, they weren't actually involved, but there were definitely feelings in there, and it was definitely mutual. _Oh, Sam, I'm so sorry..._

Daniel's mind was in a whirl for a minute: a confusion of images and sounds. One thing emerged clear and certain, however. He needed to see Jack, talk to Jack. If _he_ was...

"Oh, god, Jack! Is he...?"

Janet nodded quickly. "He's fine. He is with General Vidrine and the Tok'Ra." She took something from the tray beside the bed: a hypodermic needle.

"Janet?"

She smiled at him, her eyes questioning.

"Look, I'm sure I need whatever is in that needle, but I'm also sure it'll put me to sleep for another few hours. I really need to see Jack before he goes back to the SGA. We haven't had a chance to catch up and..."

She cut him off with a gesture. "If I promise Colonel O'Neill won't leave until you've spoken to him, will you accept this, Daniel? It's not likely he'll be able to leave before tomorrow anyway. You really do need some more rest."

"I know, I know, and I will, but I have to speak to Jack. Please."

She shook her head firmly. "I can't reach him now, anyway. I'll make sure you see him after you've rested."

Reluctantly, Daniel nodded. A few minutes later, he was asleep again.

* * *

Janet watched Daniel's eyes close with some relief. _Jack. I should have known..._ She reached out, touching Daniel's cheek gently. Looking back over her shoulder, she saw Cleis emerging from her office. She took a deep breath.

"Those X-rays," she said aloud, reminding herself. "This way."

Cleis followed her to the table where she had left the X-rays of Daniel's back, taken while he was still unconscious. Janet lifted the image that concerned her, clipping it to the display unit so they could both see. She glanced at Cleis; his grim look confirmed her fear.

Janet swallowed. She didn't really need a second opinion: she had eyes. "The vertebrae are misaligned again. I'll need an MRI to see the full extent of the damage, but..."

"I had no choice," Cleis said quietly.

"You saved his life," Janet said. "Don't apologise for that."

"Is there nothing you can do?"

Janet sighed. "I don't know yet. It looks to me as if the fall has undone the work of the last operation Daniel had. If it's no worse than that, it's fixable, but this is going to set his recovery back months." Daniel could do it. But he had worked so hard to walk again...this would hurt him badly.

Cleis nodded. "There may be another way, Doctor. For a recent injury like this... You have a Goa'uld healing device on the base, do you not?"

Hope flared suddenly. "We do, yes. Can you use that? Will it work?"

"I can. But..." Cleis turned away from the screen, meeting her eyes. "There is a limit to what that device can do for an unblended human. It is designed for use on Goa'uld hosts or Jaffa. If there is recent nerve damage I can repair it, and I may be able to undo the worst of this." Turning back to the screen, he indicated the damage on the X-ray. "However, I know Daniel is...uncomfortable...with the use of Goa'uld technology. I would prefer to have his consent before I attempt to heal him in this way."

Janet frowned, for a moment uncertain what Cleis meant. Then she realised: Daniel's experience with the sarcophagus on P3R-636 had made him determined never to use one again. Janet wasn't aware that his distaste for the sarcophagus extended to other Goa'uld technologies, but it seemed possible. It wasn't a subject they had discussed.

She nodded. "I agree. He'll sleep for a couple of hours now. I'll prepare the device and call you when Daniel wakes."

* * *

Daniel listened as Janet laid it all on the line. His heart was heavy in his chest. He couldn't blame Cleis. If Cleis hadn't pushed him, Daniel could have been killed. A simple fall...that's all it was. Could have happened any time.

He swallowed. "Last time I had surgery, they said they couldn't risk it again."

Janet nodded. "I know," she said quietly. She squeezed his hand gently.

"I could end up paraplegic. Or worse."

"I know," Janet said again.

"But...you're saying that's where I am anyway, aren't you?"

"That's the worst case scenario, Daniel." Janet looked past him for a moment, then met Daniel's eyes again. "Cleis wants to try to help you. We have a Goa'uld healing device, he thinks he can heal the recent injury. But he's concerned you wouldn't want that kind of help."

Daniel's brow creased in a frown. "Why would he think...?"

"Because of what happened to you with the sarcophagus, I think."

"You _told_ him about that?"

Janet shook her head firmly. "I got the impression you had. But I haven't mentioned it. Will you let Cleis try, Daniel?"

For a moment, Daniel hesitated. He knew so little about how Goa'uld technology worked. What if this device had something in common with the sarcophagus? What if he had to fight the addiction all over again? He sighed. "What have I got to lose?" he asked.

He saw her smile and realised she was really worried he would refuse. "I'll call him," she said.

Cleis was waiting for Janet's signal. He was fitting the device over his hand as he approached.

"Are you sure this will work?" Daniel asked. Not the question on his mind. He knew the device worked: he had seen it. What he wanted to know was whether this was safe _for him_, but the words died, unspoken.

"I will do what I can," Cleis assured him. "The device can do no harm. At worst, you will be as you are now."

_I hope that's true._ "Okay," Daniel whispered, aware of Cleis waiting, even now, for him to confirm his consent.

From his position, held immobile face-down on the bed, Daniel could see nothing of what Cleis was doing. For a few moments, he felt nothing. Then he felt a strange heat beginning at the base of his spine and spreading throughout his body. Even his fingers tingled with warmth. Janet stood a short distance away, where Daniel could watch her, watching Cleis. She looked tense, but not unduly worried. Daniel relaxed.

That was when Jack walked into the infirmary.

"What's going on?" Jack demanded.

"It's okay," Janet said to Cleis quickly. She hurried to the colonel's side. "There's nothing to be concerned about, Colonel. Cleis is trying to help him."

"How?"

"Daniel's back was hurt when he fell. Please, Colonel, this is _my_ infirmary."

Daniel knew _that_ tone. Janet wouldn't allow anyone to interfere with her treatment of a patient. But it was a mistake to take that tone with Jack. Daniel couldn't see him, but he knew an argument was coming.

Fortunately, before Jack could say a word, Cleis stepped back. "I have done all I can," he announced.

"Is it enough?" Janet asked.

"I believe so." He moved into Daniel's sight. "You should be able to stand, and the swelling around your spine is gone. Don't try to walk for a few days. Let your body's natural ability to heal do the rest."

* * *

It took more than Cleis' word to convince Janet, but less than two hours later Daniel was back in his wheelchair. Janet asked him to stay in the infirmary overnight but Daniel begged her to let him leave. He could go home, he insisted. He wouldn't be alone; Jack would be with him.

"The Colonel is the reason you want to go home," Janet sighed. It wasn't a question.

Daniel smiled wryly. "I've got to talk to him, Janet. Come on, I haven't seen him for _months_!"

Janet gave in. "_Promise_ me you'll follow my advice. Stay in that chair until you get into bed. No shower unless the colonel is willing to stay in the bathroom with you. And no alcohol."

"Janet!" Daniel protested, thinking of that long-saved bottle of whiskey.

"No alcohol," she repeated firmly. "Not on top of what's already in your system. Promise me, or you stay here."

"I promise. No walking, no shower, no beer. Now can I go home?"

Ten minutes later he was in the back seat of his car and Jack was driving them home. So many questions raced through Daniel's thoughts. What happened at the summit? Had the treaty been signed? Why did Martouf go crazy like that? What was going on while he was stuck in the infirmary? Once they were away from the mountain Daniel tried to ask Jack, but Jack shut his questions down.

"Need to know, Daniel, at least until the debriefing tomorrow. The general wants you there."

Daniel didn't press. Once they reached home Daniel made an effort to keep the conversation light. They exchanged the usual Jack-and-Daniel-type pleasantries: "I had no one to grace me with the higher-quality insults"; "Did you _have_ to record the games at peak times? All those damned commercials..." and suchlike.

Jack was more relaxed after a couple of beers, and Daniel felt able to broach the first of his concerns.

"So...you seem pissed off at the Tok'Ra these days, Jack. What's going on?"

The shadow, barely noticeable even to Daniel when Jack first came in, returned and Jack's eyes resembled glittering coals as he recounted, as succinctly as was possible for him and in his own inimitable style, the events surrounding the experiments with the Atanik armbands. Even before Jack launched into the depths of his feelings on the subject, Daniel could see why he was angry with this Anise. She sounded arrogant and stubborn, even for a Tok'Ra.

"...She walked out of that gate as if she owned the place! Tell me again how the Tok'Ra are supposed to be different from the Goa'uld? Because I don't think I really understand that and I certainly don't see it now! That ‘Yu' guy was friendlier than she was! And at least with a Goa'uld you know where you are." Jack had abandoned the couch and was pacing up and down the room.

Despite what Jack was telling him, Daniel was almost enjoying himself: Jack, bad-mouthed and pissy. Oh, he had missed this!

"The point is, Daniel...this only proves what I've always said about the Tok'Ra: we can't trust them. I mean, she said she knew nothing about this surprise mission to blow up that ship, and that was total bullshit. I know when I'm being railroaded and she was pushing without one thought for how many of my people were going to be affected. She treated Carter and her team like lab-rats and didn't even have the decency to admit it. Not even when I confronted her with it! She just bulled her way through it and the other one, the host...Freya? She was bow-scrapey to the point of nausea. Just about the worst combination you can find in a woman. You should have heard Carter when she came back at the end of it."

"Jack, I know that you're angry and I can certainly see why. You hate having the reins taken out of your hands and that was the least of what she did, but..."

"For god's sake don't start defending her! She endangered their lives and she showed no sign of even caring! That woman — in fact, the Tok'Ra in general — just don't show us any respect! They've made it abundantly clear that they think they're better than us and we're not worth the time of day unless they want to use us for something!"

"What about Ja— "

" — And if you're about to mention Jacob, well, okay, I guess I still trust him, I mean it's kinda difficult not to, but...I've gotta tell you, Daniel, I'm beginning to wonder if I should. He has one of those damned snakes inside him, same as the rest. How can we know how that's really affected him?"

No wonder Jack wasn't happy about the treaty. How long had all this been festering beneath the surface? Jack needed a sounding board sometimes, and Daniel guessed that out at the SGA, he didn't have one. _Oh, boy..._

"Well, I guess I already know how you're going to answer my next question, then..."

Jack's eyes narrowed as he turned to look at Daniel.

Damn. Daniel had really hoped he might get a more relaxed approach from Jack on this one. He wanted to talk to him about Entar's suggestion that Daniel could be his next host. He felt so conflicted about it himself, _he_ needed a sounding board. He had tried to talk to Teal'c and failed, and he didn't want to burden Janet with this: she would think he was desperate because there was nothing more she could do for his condition. Jack was all that was left. But should he even bother?

Yes. He had to. Jack was a good friend, and if nothing else, Daniel owed it to Jack to let him know he was considering this. He could predict, now, what Jack would have to say about it, but he needed to say it and this might be his only opportunity.

Jack was sitting down, waiting, eyebrows furrowed, giving Daniel that _spit-it-out_! look. "Yeah? What's your question?"

"Will you hear me out?"

"God, Daniel, _what_?" he snapped. Jack bowed his head and ran a hand raggedly through his hair. "I'm sorry," he said, more calmly. "Yeah, okay, I'll listen. This is something I won't be exactly overjoyed to hear?"

_Here goes..._ "Entar can only keep Cleis alive for another few years. He needs a new host."

"Yeah, so? That's his problem."

"Jack...I can barely walk. I can't stand for long. I can't do my job properly. I'll never be able to live alone again. Look what happened today — I could have ended up completely paralysed because Cleis _pushed me from a chair_."

Daniel spoke so quickly he could see Jack mentally replaying his words at half speed to find out what he was talking about. Once he had it, it was obvious Jack didn't need to hear any more.

"Daniel, if you're saying what I think you're saying... How in the hell can you even _think_ about this? I know you two are friends, but ... For god's sake, he knows what happened to Sha're, he must know how you feel about that, why would he even mention this to you? Can't you see his motives have to be selfish?"

_Of course it's partly selfish! He needs a host. _"Jack, Entar wants to help me! He's the one who's been here all this time, and he knows what I've been through already, just to get to this stage of recovery. God! It's been a year, Jack. I'm not going to get much better than this. Entar wants to help me. He cares about me. I know that."

"Convenient that he couldn't do much with that healing device, then, isn't it? How do you know you can trust him? I mean, really."

"Jack, he's my friend."

"It's a Goa'uld, Daniel!"

"He's a Tok'Ra!"

"Same thing!" Jack took a deep breath. "Danny, I know you think a lot of them, but let's call a snake a snake, okay?"

"They're the same species, I know. But they're not the same, Jack, believe me."

"I can't believe you would even think about this." Jack's eyes were cold, fixing Daniel with a hard stare. His hands were tense, the knuckles white as he gripped the empty beer bottle. "Do you really think it's worth your life?"

_It's **my** choice!_ Daniel wanted to shout. Then he caught himself. Damn, Jack still had whatever it took to push all Daniel's buttons. Didn't matter what the subject was; Daniel just took the opposite position on principle. Beneath all that, Daniel knew Jack was trying to protect him from what he obviously believed was a bad move.

Trying to move past the adversarial emotion that Jack roused in him, Daniel slowly came to the realisation that he was relieved Jack reacted in this way. To blend with a Tok'Ra was too much of an unknown; too big a decision to make. It would affect the rest of his life, and that life would be at least three times longer than a normal human life expectancy. Cleis was over three hundred years old. Daniel was actually pretty sure he didn't want to live that long with the memories he had. Too many of them were heavy, dark things which it took effort to live with. If he blended with Entar, taking on all that implied, how long before he was stretched too thinly to want to exist any more?

It was too high a price to pay for his health. Daniel swallowed hard as the decision crystallised in his mind. Entar had given him the choice, and the way he felt right now told him he had to refuse.

Meeting Jack's eyes again he saw a relaxing of the fierce concern in his face. Jack could read him just a bit too well sometimes. This time Daniel was glad that he could.

But he didn't answer Jack's question.

* * *

Since he insisted on moving the wheelchair himself, Daniel entered the briefing room behind Jack. Cleis was already waiting, with a Tok'Ra woman Daniel didn't know. She nodded an acknowledgement at Jack and Daniel heard him mutter something under his breath. _Oh, god, this must be Anise. Trouble..._ Daniel took his usual place at the table beside Cleis. Jack sat at the opposite side of the table, a dark scowl now marring his features. _Oh, yeah. This could be trouble_, Daniel thought.

He smiled a greeting to Janet as she entered, followed by a couple of SFs. General Vidrine was the last to arrive, with a man Daniel definitely recognised: the Secretary of State who was there, Daniel guessed, to represent the President.

The general sat at the head of the table. "The purpose of this meeting it to make sure everyone here understands what happened at yesterday's summit, and to discuss what steps we must take to stop anything like this happening again." His eyes sought Cleis' immediately. "Entar, I want to hear from you first."

Entar waited a moment before he spoke, his eyes taking in every face around the table. "Within the past seven weeks, three Tok'Ra have died in violent incidents. While the deaths appeared unrelated, the circumstances were suspicious and the Tok'Ra investigated. This..." he gestured toward the woman at his side, "...is Freya. She has done the most extensive research into these incidents and has a theory that may explain Martouf's actions."

"Oh, here we go," Jack muttered. A sharp look from General Vidrine shut him up.

Freya spoke — Anise's host, Daniel realised, then remembered Jack had mentioned her name. "I have examined Martouf's body, and I have confirmed that he was a zatarc."

"Zatarc?" Daniel queried. Freya spoke as if she expected them all to know what she was talking about, but it wasn't a Goa'uld term Daniel was familiar with.

"It is a contraction," Entar explained. "_Zaylith nitarcan_."

"Secret...no, _concealed_ weapon," Daniel translated.

Entar nodded, confirming his guess.

Freya continued, "Essentially, the zatarc technology enables the Goa'uld to program a human brain with a simple mission. In this case, I believe Martouf was programmed to assassinate your President at the treaty summit. The individual affected has no idea he is a zatarc; false memories are inserted to conceal the programming. When the triggering event occurs the program activates and the individual is no longer in control of his actions. Martouf was in no way responsible for the attempt on your President's life."

"How long have you people known about this?" Jack demanded. "If you had just _told_ us..."

Entar interrupted him. "We did _not_ know, Colonel. Freya developed a theory, nothing more. Only now, with the death of Martouf, do we have any evidence that confirms her theory."

Janet spoke up then. "I assisted Freya in her examination of the body. I don't know exactly what Freya was looking for but it's clear there was some brain damage. Not something I would expect to see in a Tok'Ra; their symbiots protect them from disease and most physical deterioration."

"Is this something you can detect in the living, Doctor?" Vidrine asked.

Janet shook her head. "An MRI might detect it but I can't be sure. Freya believes the damage is caused when the program activates, not before."

Freya said, "I have a device that will — "

"I think," Jack interrupted sharply, "we've had enough of your devices."

Daniel found he was holding his breath.

Freya looked at Jack, her eyes stricken. "Colonel O'Neill, I..."

"Freya." Entar spoke quietly. He waited for silence. "The zatarc technology is very new, Colonel. The Tok'Ra do not yet know enough about it to be able to offer an effective defence. The device Freya speaks of is neither a cure nor an infallible detector. It detects the false memories we believe are used to conceal the zatarc programming. It gives...I believe your phrase is ‘a heads-up'."

"That's the best you can do?" Jack asked, clearly not happy.

"Our best scientists are studying this technology, Colonel," Freya assured him.

Entar added, "And we will share all relevant information with you as soon as it is available."

"That'll be a first," Jack said sarcastically.

Vidrine snapped, "Colonel!"

There was silence, but if General Vidrine was expecting Jack to apologise he was to be disappointed.

Entar closed his eyes briefly, then Cleis spoke with a faint smile. "The Colonel is correct. The Tok'Ra have been less than forthcoming in our past dealings. However, circumstances are different now and this new weapon can best be neutralised by honesty." He turned to Jack. "You and I have always worked well together, Colonel. I trust we can continue to do so."

It was an olive branch, but Jack merely nodded curtly. Daniel may have been the only person in the room who knew that from Jack, that gesture meant anything but a concession.

* * *

The meeting went on for hours. Daniel was there to act as an interpreter between the Tok'Ra and the rest — not an interpreter of language, but of the cultural differences that could so easily lead to misunderstandings. There was far more to the meeting than the simple debriefing Daniel had expected and by the time General Vidrine called a halt, Daniel was exhausted. Healing device or no, the previous day had taken a lot out of him.

Cleis laid a hand on Daniel's arm as the others filed out of the room. "Are you unwell, Daniel?"

_I'm always unwell, now. If it's not the pain it's the painkillers._ Daniel shook his head. "I'll be okay." He managed a smile. "Really, I'll be okay."

"You should go home and rest," Cleis suggested.

"I will, when I've said goodbye to..." Daniel glanced up to see Jack watching them, that dark scowl back on his face.

Cleis nodded, understanding, and headed out of the room.

Jack moved toward Daniel, taking the seat Cleis had just vacated. He looked at Daniel, saying nothing.

The silence stretched out until finally Daniel broke it. "Jack?"

His gaze dropped to the floor and he took a deep breath. "You're really going to do this, aren't you?"

Daniel met Jack's eyes. Last night had been a bad time to talk to Jack about anything. Stress, fatigue and alcohol were not things that made Jack reasonable. Now, in place of the not-very-controlled anger he saw last night, Daniel saw a deep concern in his friend's eyes, and behind that, not quite hidden, a very real fear. Daniel thought suddenly of the moment, aboard Klorel's ship, when he told Jack to leave him behind to die. It was the same look Jack was giving him now, as if he thought this was the last time they would ever speak.

But Jack was so wrong! Becoming Entar's host wouldn't end Daniel's life. He was certain of that: he trusted Entar. It would give him back his mobility. A life without pain could be worth the price.

He had already decided not to pay that price, however.

So he shook his head slowly, his eyes never leaving Jack's. "No," he said firmly. "I'm not."

Jack's frown smoothed out immediately and some of the worry left his eyes. Some, but not all.

Daniel said, "He's not a Goa'uld, Jack. I understand your hostility toward the Tok'Ra, but they are our allies now. And, by the way, I worked very hard on that treaty..."

Jack's mouth quirked in a smile. "You're telling me not to screw it up?"

"I'm asking you to trust _me_, if you can't trust them."

"I know my job, Daniel. I follow orders."

_I follow orders._ That wasn't entirely true, but Jack's phrasing was more reassuring to Daniel than an empty promise would have been. "Thank you," he said gratefully.

"You're not going to change your mind?"

"No. I can't deny it's tempting, Jack, but I've made up my mind. I'll tell Entar as soon as I get a chance."

"Good." Jack stood up, pushing the chair back under the table. "I have to get back, Daniel. Someone has to tell Carter about...what happened."

Sam would be devastated. Daniel smiled sadly. "Yeah, it'll be easier for her if it comes from you. Tell Sam...tell her I'm thinking of her."

"I will."

Daniel stayed where he was until Jack left the room. How long would it be before he saw his friend again?


	10. Revelations

### Earth, some months later

Raised voices should not be coming from her infirmary. Janet waited for a moment in the corridor. She could not make out the words, but the voices of both men were familiar. Frank Denborough, one of the doctors on her staff was one of them, and the other...Janet was honestly shocked to realise the other voice was Daniel Jackson. Then she remembered.

She hurried inside. Both men, one her colleague, the other her lover, turned to her immediately. With a sinking feeling she recognised an appeal for her support coming from each of them.

She frowned, raising a hand to stop either of them speaking, knowing that if she didn't get the first word, this might escalate badly. "Thank you, Doctor Denborough. Why don't you let me take it from here?"

Frank glanced at Daniel and nodded curtly. "You're welcome to it. Maybe you can explain to him the concept of orders."

Janet winced. No wonder Daniel was angry, if Frank had pulled the military line into this. It was guaranteed to put Daniel on the defensive. Especially when it was nothing but the truth. Frank was new to the SGC and could be forgiven for his typically regulation attitude toward the civilian members of staff, but she would have to talk to him about this. Later.

Daniel seemed to relax as Frank left the room. He took a deep breath and let it out. "Thanks, Jan. I couldn't make him understand..."

Janet interrupted quickly. "Let me guess. This is about the excavation on M2A-239."

"You know it is," Daniel told her.

Yes, she knew. As she knew what she had to tell Daniel now. This hurt. It hurt a lot, because she knew it was cruel to Daniel, but she had to do it. Best to get it over with. "Daniel, you can't go through the stargate. I'm sorry, but you can't." She saw his brows draw together and moved closer to him. "Everyone who goes through the gate has to meet clearly defined standards of physical fitness. It doesn't matter..."

He turned away from her abruptly, slamming his hand down on the table. Oh, god, he was angry. Janet had seen him like this before, in those terrible months when he thought he would never walk again. She learned to handle his black moods then, but had hoped she wouldn't see this again.

She stepped closer, reaching for him and speaking softly. "Daniel, I'm sorry." She laid a hand gently on his back.

A week before, SG-3 discovered some abandoned Goa'uld structures on M2A-239. When the mission report reached the SGC, Daniel was very excited by it. The pictures indicated the moon had been ruled by a Goa'uld Daniel knew little about, but also showed clear connections to ancient Egypt. The main structure was a pyramid, much like the one on Abydos, and there was a temple, too, built in a style Daniel recognised instantly. He convinced General Vidrine that the structures were worth further investigation. While Daniel's primary interest was archaeological, he believed it likely that the structures still contained Goa'uld technology. The general agreed to let him investigate further.

Clearly, to Daniel, that meant going out there himself.

As CMO of the SGC, it was up to Janet to certify Daniel fit for gate travel. And she knew he wasn't fit. He would never be fit again.

His muscles were tense and hard under Janet's touch. "Janet, don't do this to me. Please."

_Oh, Daniel..._ "I can't do anything else. I can't clear anyone for gate travel if they're not combat ready."

"It's not a combat mission. It's a dig." Daniel's voice was softer now, but she could hear his frustration. "Jan, I was a member of SG-1 for three years. I might not be able to run an assault course any longer, but I still know which end of a gun is the business end. All I want to do is explore the ruins on 239." He turned to face her, his blue eyes hopeful.

Janet shook her head sadly. "There are no exceptions, Daniel. I wouldn't let the President himself go through the gate without a full physical."

"How am I supposed to lead an excavation on a site I can't even visit?"

"Once you step through the gate, anything can happen. Can you honestly tell me you would be able to handle yourself in combat?"

"I don't know..."

"You _do_ know. If I let you go out there, it would be my responsibility. Daniel, I won't send you out to get killed. Don't ask me."

"Jan, if I thought there was any danger, I wouldn't be asking. That moon is safe."

"When you were with SG-1, how many times did a simple, no-risk mission go bad?"

It stopped him. For a long moment he was silent, his shoulders slumped in defeat. Finally he nodded. "Too often, I remember. But, Jan, this is impossible!"

His left hand was shaking. Janet looked at him more closely, noting other signs: the way his right hand gripped his cane, white-knuckled; the pinprick pupils of his eyes; his unsteady breathing. Gently, she took his hand and led him to a chair. He sat down without argument and she sat beside him, still holding his hand in hers.

"It's not impossible, honey, it's just a challenge. Dr. Rothman can lead the dig on-site. You trust him, don't you?"

"Yes, but..."

"You told me the general agreed to give you any resources you need. If you select your own team, and if you make sure Rothman consults with you daily..."

"It could work," he agreed unhappily.

* * *

It was far from an ideal situation, but Daniel had no choice but to accept it. He would have been happier if Cleis were available to help — the SGC's physical fitness rules could not be applied to him, and if Cleis, with his specialised knowledge of the Goa'uld, could be on 239 with the team, he would know what to look for. But Cleis was still on Vorash with the Tok'Ra; he didn't even know about their discovery.

_Impossible_ was an exaggeration, perhaps, but Daniel found the situation frustrating to say the least. In the report from M2A-239 he saw an opportunity to regain some of the life he had lost. He was an archaeologist. Daniel gave up his academic career for Sha're and Abydos, and never regretted it until he lost her. His first year on SG-1 had been a learning experience but despite the loss of Sha're, it wasn't until the near-apocalypse of Apophis' attack on Earth that he truly realised how important the SGC was. He had seen in terms of history, of what they could learn about the past and for the future. An idealistic vision that had nothing to do with their war against the Goa'uld. When he came face to face with what was very nearly the end of the world, Daniel understood, finally, why Jack could be so impatient with him, and why his enthusiasm for "meaning of life stuff" was shared by so few of those around him. It changed him.

For two years after that day, Daniel fought the battle. He almost died fighting the Goa'uld but regretted nothing. Now, though, he couldn't fight any more. Daniel never lost his enthusiasm for archaeology; it was simply that other things were more important. The report from M2A-239 touched both of those things. The pyramid was so close to those in Egypt it was incredible. Virtually identical, only about three thousand years old: much younger than the Great Pyramid. The inscriptions in the film taken by SG-3 were even more exciting, but there wasn't enough of it for Daniel to translate. He was desperate to get out there and get his hands dirty. To touch history again. More than once since the accident Daniel had seriously considered leaving the SGC to return to his old career. It would not be easy to regain the academic reputation he had lost, and his physical condition would make going on a remote dig difficult, but it could be done.

So what was stopping him?

Daniel had been "out there". He knew too much already...if he left the SGC he would never know what was happening in the wider galaxy and he wouldn't be able to contribute, in whatever small ways he still could, to the war against the Goa'uld. _This_ work was "meaning of life stuff" for him now. He couldn't abandon it.

Daniel hand-picked his team and was grateful for the resources of the SGC as they put together a mission-plan for the excavation. Six men and two women, four of them Air Force officers, the rest civilian scientists. His own friend and former protégé, Robert Rothman was in charge of the dig from a scientific perspective, but under the command of Major Dayton. They were given a month for the excavation — a laughable timetable for a true archaeological dig, but long enough, Daniel hoped, to reveal whether it was worth investing more resources.

* * *

It was the eighth day of the dig. Robert returned to Earth with a catalogue of their discoveries, and a small collection of artefacts he wanted Daniel to see.

Daniel held the marble tablet in his hands. The bottom of the tablet and part of the inscription were missing, but the image was very recognisable. It depicted the Egyptian goddess, Nepthys.

"I knew that would interest you," Robert said. "Her image appears a lot inside the temple. We're assuming she is the Goa'uld who ruled there."

Daniel nodded. "It's possible, but it's more likely Nepthys was a queen. If that's the case, then another Goa'uld ruled her, at least in name." As Ra once ruled Hathor, and Apophis ruled Amonet. "Nepthys is associated with Set..." he mused aloud.

"Nebhet served no one." It was Entar's voice.

Daniel turned — too quickly — to face his friend. He found himself smiling and was surprised by how much he had missed Entar. "When did you get back?"

"Not long ago," Entar smiled back. "You've been busy in my absence."

"We tried." Daniel moved aside to make room for Entar at the table. He slid the tablet across the table toward his friend. "The depiction is Nepthys, that's her name in Egyptian mythology. You called her Nebhet?"

"She had many names. Nebhet is how I knew her. She changed allegiances many times but ultimately served only her own interests."

Robert cleared his throat nervously. "Where is she now? I...I mean, she's not going to suddenly decide to reclaim her old temple, is she?"

"It is most unlikely," Entar told him. "Nebhet was killed by Lord Yu some thousand years ago."

"Then Daniel's right. She was a Goa'uld queen."

"She was. In Nebhet's time it was usual to leave warning if a planet was left contaminated. You have found no _korosh-ni_ near the stargate or the Pyramid?"

"Nothing," Robert answered quickly. "We're being careful."

Entar's eyes sought Daniel's and Daniel nodded. "We know what to look for, Entar. The MALP found no trace of contamination." He reached for the original mission report and began going over their findings so far for Cleis and Entar's benefit.

"The results of the carbon dating are amazing. The outer structure of the pyramid is relatively new, but parts of it and the temple predate the structures on Abydos. That would suggest that Nebhet left Earth long before the rebellion in Egypt." He glanced at Entar, hoping for confirmation.

Entar said nothing at first, but bowed his head briefly; a gesture Daniel was familiar with. Cleis said, "You speak as if the rebellion were a single event."

Daniel frowned. "In all the legends we've uncovered, here and on Abydos, it was."

Cleis seemed to find that amusing. "Daniel, you know the power of the Goa'uld. You met Ra. Do you honestly believe he could be forced to flee by a single battle?"

"I didn't think it was one battle. But it does seem it happened quickly."

"Legends distort history. The rebellion among Ra's slaves built up over almost a century. Four generations. Ra abandoned Egypt and the slaves buried his stargate, but the Goa'uld remained on Earth for many thousands of years after that. Nebhet abandoned Earth in..." he hesitated, "I believe about 1400 BC, as you measure the years, when she was driven from her stronghold in the land you call Iraq. Entar was there."

Daniel nodded. It made sense. The conflicting dates of the evidence they had found fit Cleis' story nicely.

Robert was frowning. "I didn't realise," he began, "that the Tok'Ra existed that long ago."

Robert's comment was innocent enough, but it made Daniel look up sharply. He looked at Cleis, a sudden, ugly suspicion occurring. "They didn't," he answered Robert.

Thankfully Cleis took warning from Daniel's look. "They didn't," he confirmed. "Not as an organised group and not under that name. There were, however, Goa'uld who worked against Ra and the System Lords."

Robert nodded, accepting Cleis' answer, but Daniel couldn't accept it as easily. His knowledge of Goa'uld history was a lot more extensive than Robert's and he was far more concerned with the things Cleis had _not_ said. He tried to keep his focus on the details of the dig for the rest of their conference. Sometimes he even succeeded.

* * *

"You were a Goa'uld! Damn it, Cleis, how could you not tell me he was a Goa'uld?"

"Daniel," Entar interrupted, his voice calm and reasonable, "you already knew this."

"You never told me — "

"I didn't — what's your expression? — spell it out. You know the Tok'Ra originated with Egeria, a little more than two thousand years ago. You know I am twice that age. What other conclusion did you draw, Daniel?"

That stopped him. Daniel avoided Entar's eyes, stacking papers on the desk just to have something to do with his hands while he mulled that over. Finally he sighed, sinking into a chair and looking up at Entar. "I didn't think about it. You're right. I should have known." He hadn't wanted to know... "But, god, Entar, you asked me to be your host! What if I said yes? Would you have told me then?"

"Of course I would have," Entar replied instantly. "Do you think I'm a Goa'uld now, my friend?"

"No," Daniel didn't even hesitate. But if Entar wasn't Goa'uld, _what was he_? "Teal'c says all Goa'uld are born evil."

"Ah. Naturally your Jaffa friend is an expert," Entar said sarcastically. He took a seat near Daniel. "_Born evil_ is hardly an exact description. A symbiot is born with the knowledge and memories of its ancestry. Daniel, memory isn't just knowledge, it's also the way that knowledge is obtained. That has an effect on personality." Lacing his fingers together he regarded Daniel thoughtfully. "When I took my first host I did so as a Goa'uld. I knew no other way. I had to learn that what I was, was evil. I had to _want_ to change. Few Goa'uld are given the opportunity I was."

Daniel swallowed. This was hard to take in. "You...consider yourself lucky?"

"Every day," Entar confirmed. "Do you want to know?" he offered. "It's not a comfortable story."

Did he want to know? He trusted Entar. They were friends. Daniel was fairly sure he didn't want to associate his friend with the worst the Goa'uld were capable of. On the other hand, if Robert or someone else put the facts together and came up with the conclusion that Daniel should have, he _had_ to be able to say Entar hadn't kept it secret.

"Yes. I want to know."

"As you wish." Entar leaned back in his chair, his gaze directed at the blank wall ahead of him. "I lived in the country that is now Iraq. Ra abandoned Egypt before I was born, but many other Goa'uld remained on Earth at that time. Those were unsettled days: one rebellion of slaves succeeded and the seed spread. While the humans could not match the weapons of the Goa'uld they far outnumbered us and once they devised strategies based on that truth they were able to win. That is how my first host was killed. There was an uprising and I was injured in the battle. I had heard stories of what the slaves might do to a captured Goa'uld, and I was afraid to seek a sarcophagus. I fled into the desert."

Entar turned to look at Daniel. "As I think you have guessed, my allegiance at the time was to Nebhet. I planned to cross the desert to her stronghold, to seek help and to warn her of the uprising. It would not have been a difficult journey if I were healthy. But I was not. What I had to do to survive..." He dropped his gaze again. "Daniel, this is difficult to explain. You know a Goa'uld can push a host body beyond human limitations. It is simplest to say that is what I did...but it wasn't enough. There was no way for me to reach my destination alive.

"At the last possible moment, I encountered a small tribe of nomads. They thought I was human, of course, though my appearance must have terrified them. Their shaman tried to help me and I took him as a host."

_Just like a Goa'uld_, Daniel thought.

"I was able to enter his body, but I wasn't strong enough to control him. My journey across the desert almost killed me. All I could do was remain in his body and draw on his vitality to heal myself."

"Like some sort of vampire," Daniel said, revolted.

Entar nodded. "True. It was a terrible thing I thought I was doing to him."

"You _thought_ you were doing?"

"It wasn't my intention to blend with him, but that is what happened. When..."

"Wait a moment. I'm confused, Entar. You _didn't_ plan to blend with him?"

Entar smiled briefly. "My apology. Your language is much less precise than Goa'uld. Both _kilan_ and _karush_ translate into English as _to blend_ or _to join with_."

Daniel could hear the difference in the two words Entar used, but he couldn't refine the translation. It was true that Goa'uld was in some ways a more complex language than English but the linguist in him didn't think the difference was one of precision so much as very different cultures. The Inuit have fifteen word-families for _snow_. Americans have literally hundreds of different words for _gun_. The process of blending with a host was central to Goa'uld (and Tok'Ra) existence. It wasn't surprising there were nuances in the language that Daniel didn't understand. "You're going to have to help me out, Entar. What's the difference?"

Entar met his eyes, saying nothing for a long time. "I will answer, my friend, if you truly wish to know. These things will be painful for you to hear."

Until that moment, Daniel had been thinking only of Entar, and what this could do to their friendship. He wasn't even thinking of Sha're, not until Entar reminded him. He swallowed the lump in his throat and spoke with unexpected difficulty. "Entar, nothing you can tell me could be more painful than losing her was. I think this is something I need to know."

Entar stayed silent for a moment, then nodded. "When a symbiot, Tok'Ra or Goa'uld, takes a host, the symbiot must join with the body and the mind. For the Tok'Ra, the body is most important; we forge a physical connection with the host brain and nervous system, and a blending with the mind follows naturally. A complete blending with the host mind takes time, but it is an equal relationship. Mind and body are shared. I believe this is the natural way for our kind."

"And the Goa'uld?"

"A Goa'uld's primary purpose is to dominate the mind of its host. To that end..." Entar hesitated, meeting Daniel's eyes, "the symbiot will use any means to force the host mind to submit. Physical pain, mental torture through distortion of the host's memories or feelings...there are many methods a Goa'uld can use. Anything to force the host to surrender. The first battle is usually over in seconds and the host will suffer greatly. When the first victory is achieved, further battles with the host mind are easier. Eventually nothing of the host remains."

"That's not true!" Daniel protested. "The Goa'uld say that, but..."

"Again, I wasn't clear. Few people have the strength to fight a Goa'uld symbiot for long. It may take minutes or years but eventually the host mind will retreat into catatonia. While it is true that the memories and some aspects of the personality remain, the host mind is effectively gone. Insane." Entar drew a deep breath. "Forgive me, my friend. I know what this means to you. When the Goa'uld say _nothing of the host survives_, it is true from their perspective. Nothing survives that can concern the Goa'uld."

Daniel tried to speak and failed. He shouldn't be listening to this. God, Sha're... He cleared his throat and tried again. "Um...Kendra told us she learned to influence the symbiot that possessed her. And Skaara fought free of Klorel long enough to ask the Tolan for help."

"Kendra had an extremely disciplined mind. Skaara took advantage when Klorel was wounded, and from what you have told me he is an exceptional man."

"And Sha're? When Amonet tried to kill me she somehow reached me through the hand device." No one but Daniel really believed that had happened to him. Jack, he knew, thought he'd just been hallucinating or something. But Daniel was certain. In the few seconds Amonet held him in the grip of her ribbon device, in the last moments of Sha're's life, she reached out to him somehow. _You must forgive Teal'c and continue your journeys through the Chappa'ai._ He would never know why that was so important to her. _Forgive Teal'c._ Oh, that was hard. But now Teal'c was one of his closest friends. As for continuing his journey...well, that was impossible for him now. The intent would have to do. Why had she gone to such effort to get that message through to him? Was there something more he failed to hear? Daniel would never know.

Entar spoke quietly. "You want me to tell you she was strong and did not suffer? You want to hear that there was hope for her?"

"I want to hear the truth, Entar."

"I can't give it to you. I can tell you anything you want to know about the Goa'uld, but Amonet was a queen. They are...different, and I do not know what your wife experienced."

"Oh." Daniel ran both hands through his hair.

"You look tired, my friend. Perhaps I should continue my story on another day."

Daniel had almost forgotten where this conversation began. He was tired. For a moment, he was tempted to call a halt to this. "No, Entar, I'm okay. Um...you said you walked into a camp of nomads and took the shaman as your host. If I'm understanding you, you had to blend with him — " Daniel used the Goa'uld expression instead of the imprecise English term, " — because you were too weak to do it any other way."

"I was almost dead, and yes, you understand. His name was Kiveh. He was very young, chosen as shaman at birth and perhaps fourteen years old when I took him. At first he thought I was a spirit of some sort. He welcomed me into his mind. He wasn't afraid at all, just curious. Later Kiveh came to understand what I truly was and he became angry with me for deceiving him, but he never feared me. He was..." Entar closed his eyes. "After all these centuries, I still grieve for him. The first person I ever loved. My teacher."

"What did he teach you?"

"_Everything_, Daniel. From Kiveh I learned the value of human life. He gave me his own sense of right and wrong. When we left his tribe and rejoined the Goa'uld, Kiveh became my conscience. He made me stop using the sarcophagus. I'm not sure if you're familiar with its effects..."

Daniel was far too familiar with the effects of a sarcophagus. This wasn't the time to discuss his experience. So he just nodded. "I know. From Sam. She said it robs the user of his soul."

"Then you understand what a difference that made to me. But without the aid of a sarcophagus, I could not sustain Kiveh as my host forever. When he was dying, Kiveh chose my next host. A willing host. I took Kiveh against his will, but I haven't taken an unwilling host since that day. I would rather die than do so again." Entar met Daniel's eyes again, his eyes begging for something...understanding?

"I believe you," Daniel said truthfully, and saw relief flash across Entar's face.

"I hope so. I did what I could in those days to work against the evils of my kind. There was little I could do. There were no Tok'Ra then, no organised resistance. But I was not the only one who opposed the System Lords. Some worked against them for their own benefit, like the Linvris, and others genuinely opposed the ways of the Goa'uld. We learned ways to recognise each other, but it was too dangerous to work together...or so we believed.

"Then one day I heard Egeria's name for the first time. I sought her out to kill her; I did not believe a Goa'uld queen could sincerely work for the benefit of those we enslaved. But when I met her I learned how wrong I was." He sighed. "The rest, I think you know."

Daniel knew the story of how Egeria created the Tok'Ra, but Entar's words brought those days alive for him in a way he never imagined.

"So..." Daniel concluded, "...you're saying a Goa'uld _can_ change. They can reform." It was a difficult concept to accept.

Entar frowned. "The Tok'Ra are proof of it, my friend, but it is not as simple as such things are for your people. To change, one must want to change. For most Goa'uld, that would be exactly like expecting you to feel guilty for eating meat. They simply don't perceive humans as intelligent creatures." He grimaced suddenly. "I had to be forced to recognise it. Once I did, I could not go back to what I was. The Goa'uld...those like Apophis and Cronos will never recognise the truth. Even if they did, it would change nothing. The young can reform, if they have the will. The challenge is giving them that will."

Entar's story shook Daniel badly. Not because of what it said about Entar, but because suddenly it said something about him, Daniel.

Daniel hated the Goa'uld. They were evil. Parasites. They took Sha're from him, and Skaara. They wrecked so many lives...among them Cleis' life, before he became Entar's host. Entar's insistence that an evil Goa'uld _could_ change shook the foundations of Daniel's world.

It was impossible. Yet he was forced to accept it was true.

Daniel remembered a day on Chulak, firing his gun wildly as a tank full of larval symbiots. _Every single one of these infant Goa'ulds will one day take a human life._ Did his action that day make him a murderer? How many Jaffa had he killed in his years with SG-1...each of them now represented two lives. Two deaths.

Men like Jack and Teal'c could handle those choices. For them it was black and white. Them and us.

Daniel was blessed or cursed with the need to understand all the shades of grey. When a fact like this one came along he was forced by his nature to take a hard look at himself and his actions.

_Daniel, if we kill them when they're as vulnerable as they are right now we'd be no better than the Goa'uld._

_Your mate, Amonet, is dead. Sorry to ruin your day._

_Every single one of these infant Goa'ulds will one day take a human life. And all I have to do is..._

_If we kill them when they're as vulnerable as they are right now..._

He would have to live with that.


	11. Friendship

### Earth

Daniel opened the front door and, leaning heavily on his cane, walked down to the mailbox. He moved slowly, still waiting for the painkillers to do their job. It was early morning; no one was around.

Reaching the mailbox, Daniel opened it and began to sift through the contents. A couple of bills. Junkmail. A magazine...one of Teal'c's pulps. Daniel grinned to himself: the big guy actually took out a subscription. What on Earth — or should that be Chulak? — did Teal'c see in this rubbish? His grin remained as he cast his eye over the headlines. One of them caught his eye:

** _CURSE OF OSIRIS STRIKES AGAIN — noted professor dead._ **

There was a grainy photograph alongside the headline. A picture of a face Daniel knew well. Shocked, he tucked the mail under his arm and made his too-slow progress back to the house. Inside, he tore the shrink wrapping from the magazine and quickly scanned the pages for the article.

It was true. The professor really was dead.

* * *

"I realise it's short notice, General, but I only learned of Doctor Jordan's death this morning. I called the university: the funeral is tomorrow."

General Vidrine didn't contest Daniel's presentation but came straight to the point. "What's the status of your report for SG-13, Doctor Jackson?"

Daniel allowed himself to breathe easier: that sounded hopeful. "It's essentially complete, Sir. I can have the report ready by lunchtime."

Vidrine nodded. "As soon as the report is on my desk, you can go. Take a few days if you need them, but keep a cellphone on you in case something urgent comes up here."

"I will. Thank you, sir."

Daniel spent the rest of the morning typing up the conclusion of the required report. Eventually, he sent the document to the printer and leaned back in his chair with relief. He glanced across the office to where Cleis sat at his desk, engrossed in Teal'c's magazine.

Cleis must have sensed Daniel watching him; he looked up and closed the magazine. Entar said, "The Curse of Osiris?"

Daniel tried not to laugh. "After the Goa'uld left Earth — or Egypt, anyway, I know they continued to visit Earth in ships after Ra buried the stargate — the Egyptian culture they left behind imitated the Goa'uld in many ways. The Egyptians buried their honoured dead in something outwardly similar to a Goa'uld sarcophagus, placed in ornate tombs. Often a warning or curse was written on the tomb walls, to discourage grave robbers. Some of the early excavations of Egyptian tombs were beset by tragedies, so the idea that those ancient curses were effective has become quite a popular myth. I've researched some of them, but I never found any evidence it's not just superstition."

"This one may be more, my friend. Do you have any information about this 'Stewart Expedition'?"

"I think so..." Daniel stood, wincing at the pain in his back and went to the bookshelf. Could Entar be right? He took down a book and leafed through it. "This one should be... Yes. Chapter six." He handed the book to Entar. "There's not much information about the expedition. They unearthed a temple, but whatever artefacts they retrieved were lost when the ship went down. Do you know something I don't?"

"Osiris and Isis were Goa'uld."

"I knew that."

"They developed technologies beyond the capability of even Ra. Isis withheld those technologies from Ra and both of them were punished for her rebellion. Much as, some centuries earlier, Hathor had been punished."

_We could spend an eternity together, beloved...Do you not recall the pleasures we shared..._

Daniel shuddered at the memory. "You mean they are still on Earth somewhere? Shouldn't you have mentioned this before?"

"I know only legends, Daniel." There was a mild reproof in Entar's voice. "It was before my time. It is possible they remain here. I didn't remember it until now."

The computer beeped an alert, signalling the end of the print run. Daniel gathered the pages up quickly. He looked back at Entar, who had begun reading the account of the expedition. "Entar, would you like to come with me to Chicago? We can ask some discreet questions at the university and see if there is a Goa'uld connection."

"I would welcome the opportunity to see more of your world," Entar said.

He had seen very little of Earth, Daniel realised suddenly. "I'll ask the general when I hand in this report." He stacked the papers together and slid them into a folder. "It will be good to have some company on this trip."

* * *

  


### Next Day

Daniel stopped the car and glanced across to the group gathered at the graveside. Cleis, not waiting for him, opened the passenger door and got out of the car. Daniel followed. Cleis helped him out of the car and handed Daniel his cane. He resisted the urge to insist on doing it alone; Daniel knew Cleis was only trying to help him. It still grated that he needed help with something so simple.

"I should do this alone, Cleis. Would you mind waiting here?"

"Not at all." Cleis leaned against the car, folding his arms across his chest. He was wearing a dark blue suit with a plain tie: the best Daniel had been able to do for him on short notice. Air Force BDUs would look more than a little out of place at a funeral, and besides that the only clothing Cleis owned was the Tok'Ra fashion. It was odd seeing him in a suit. His long, grey hair didn't exactly match the look.

Daniel walked across the grass toward the grave. The delay to their flight had made them late and the service was almost over. Stephen Rayner was speaking...yes, of course, he would be presiding here. A few years before, it would have been Daniel. Stephen looked up as Daniel approached, recognising him.

Daniel hung back, staying a short distance away from the others present. He recognised most of them. The distance between them was more than physical, these days, and he wasn't here to renew old acquaintances, he was here for himself. To pay his respects to Doctor Jordan. He didn't want to reopen old wounds or fight old battles. Stephen had made no secret of his contempt for Daniel's theories about Ancient Egypt. Doctor Jordan, on the other hand, at least listened to his ideas, even supported some of the things Daniel had uncovered. On Abydos, when Daniel found the cartouche chamber, his first thought had been to wish he could share it with his former mentor. He knew Doctor Jordan would have been as eager as he to explore the discovery.

None of it could be shared. Daniel had long since become resigned to the secret nature of his work. It would have been wonderful if he could have shared the knowledge, but the world wasn't ready for the truth. Of that Daniel was certain. Just the same, there were regrets. He had sacrificed his academic reputation to the stargate program, and while he didn't regret that on his own behalf, it did hurt to know that the man to whom he owed so much died believing Daniel was a misguided fool.

As the service ended, the small group of people broke up. A woman turned away from the gravesite, her gaze drawn to where Daniel stood. Sarah. Daniel swallowed; he knew she was likely to be here but he wasn't quite prepared for this meeting. He saw her eyes widen as she recognised him.

Daniel smiled a greeting and began to walk toward her, not sure what sort of reception he would get. "Hello, Sarah."

He need not have worried. Sarah returned his nervous smile warmly, opening her arms as she reached him. "Daniel. I'm so glad you came."

He returned her hug, but had to pull away as pain stabbed through him. He winced. "Sorry. It's just...painful."

Sarah backed away a few steps, her eyes appraising him. "You're hurt?"

He lifted the cane slightly, nodding a yes. "I'm getting better," he added.

She linked her arm in his and began to lead him toward the trees. There was a bench there; Daniel smiled at her subtle consideration. That was the Sarah he remembered.

"We would have contacted you," she told him, "but no one knew where you were." There was a mild accusation in her words.

Daniel had no idea how to answer her. "Yeah...I know," he stalled.

"Is this why? Have you been ill?"

For five years? But Sarah's words were an opportunity. Daniel seized it. "I...um...I had an accident. I'm only just learning to walk again..." It was the truth, but it felt like a lie.

"Daniel, we were your friends. Why didn't you tell us?"

"For a long time, I couldn't," he answered honestly. "I really don't want to talk about it, Sarah. I'm sorry." Sorry for lying to you, sorry I left without a word, sorry I can't tell you the things I know you would love to hear... "Tell me what happened to Doctor Jordan. The article I read blamed the Curse of Osiris."

They reached the bench and sat down together. Daniel listened as Sarah told him about the discoveries they had made and the accident in the lab. The fire department report following the exposion said there was a gas leak. The lab was utterly destroyed. Daniel frowned. It was certainly a plausible story; he had no reason to think there was anything more sinister here. Except the tiny seed of doubt Entar had placed in his mind.

"When are the artefacts being shipped to Egypt?" Daniel asked.

"We have two weeks." Sarah sighed, frustrated. "It's not long enough."

He understood Sarah's feelings: the artefacts they had discovered were an unexplored facet of a mystery millennia old. He remembered that old excitement himself. It wasn't often he could recapture it now. "Maybe I can help," he offered. "An extra hand on the team?"

She smiled. "It would be helpful. If we can only finish the preliminary work in time..."

"I remember how it goes," Daniel reminded her gently.

"You shouldn't be here." They both looked up at Stephen's voice.

"Stephen!" Sarah admonished.

Daniel took a breath. "I came to pay my respects," he said calmly.

"It's respect, now? Is that why you need a nursemaid?" Stephen's eyes flickered to where Cleis waited.

Daniel got to his feet with difficulty, inwardly cursing his weakness. "Stephen, this is neither the time nor the place." He glanced toward Cleis; he was watching them, but wouldn't approach. "He's a colleague and a friend, nothing more. If you really want to fight me we can pick this up tomorrow." He fished in his pocket and handed Sarah a card. "My cell is on there. Call me later?"

"Of course."

Without looking at Stephen, Daniel began to walk away. He didn't see Sarah grab Stephen's arm, preventing him from following, but he heard her begin to lecture him for his behaviour. Just as he remembered her... Daniel hoped she would call him soon. It would be good to catch up.

* * *

The delayed flight prevented Daniel and Cleis from checking into the hotel earlier, and Daniel was glad he had reserved their room before they left Cheyenne Mountain. He had reserved a twin room; he didn't give a damn about how it would look, and if he slipped in the bathroom or something he would need someone in the room.

After the funeral, Daniel checked them into the hotel wearily and was relieved when they were finally in a room, alone. He sat down on the bed and began to lie down. Pain shot up his spine again and he gasped, straightening up.

"Pain, Daniel?" Entar asked him.

"A little," he admitted, his eyes closed.

"From you, that means you're in agony," Entar said. "Lie down, my friend, let me help."

More slowly, this time, Daniel lay down on his back. "When did you become a doctor?"

"Turn over," Entar instructed. When Daniel obeyed, he ran his hands across Daniel's back. "Tell me if this hurts you," he said. Daniel felt a slight pressure and suddenly the pain in his back eased. "Good?" Entar asked.

"Amazing."

"Two more..."

Entar pushed his fingers into Daniel's back again and Daniel felt a sharp pain. He winced, but said nothing.

"Pain?"

"Uh..."

"And now?"

"No." Daniel looked up, turning over again. "How did you do that?"

Entar smiled. "My perspective on the human body is a little different from your good doctor. What I did will help temporarily, no more."

"Thank you." It was _much_ better. Daniel had to give Entar his due, he had never mentioned the other "cure" for Daniel's pain. He had been disappointed by Daniel's decision, but he never tried to change his mind.

Entar sat down on the other bed, his expression suddenly serious. "Daniel, there is something you need to know. At the funeral today..."

"What?" Daniel sat up.

"I could feel a presence there."

"A presence?"

"I wasn't close enough to be sure, but I believe it was Goa'uld."

_That_ got Daniel's full attention. "Osiris?" It couldn't be. Entar had to be mistaken. "I don't think that's possible. You said Osiris and Isis were imprisoned like Hathor. The expedition didn't uncover a sarcophagus."

"You are certain of that?" Entar pressed. He was really worried.

But Daniel was certain. He nodded. "Entar, I still have nightmares about what Hathor tried to do to me. And Seth. Trust me, I checked and double checked and then did it all again. The closest thing they found was a set of canopic jars. They are about so big..." He held his hands a short distance apart. "Certainly not large enough to contain a body."

Entar still looked concerned. "I did feel something, my friend. It could have been simple naquadah, but I can usually tell the difference. And naquadah is not native to your planet."

Daniel knew that. Whatever Entar had sensed, it meant there was a Goa'uld connection. Most likely one or more of the artefacts uncovered were Goa'uld...but why would any artefact have been at the funeral? But that _had_ to be it. There couldn't be a Goa'uld out there. There couldn't.

Daniel said, "I offered Sarah my help finishing their work on the artefacts. You could come with me and check it out. We should report this to the SGC, too."

"Sarah." This time it was Cleis talking. "Is there a story to tell there?" His eyes twinkled.

"Cleis!" Daniel protested, but got nothing but an arch look in return. He sighed. "We were...involved, a long time ago. It ended...badly." He smiled bitterly. "So did my friendship with Doctor Jordan and Stephen. For different reasons. I shouldn't be surprised I'm not welcome."

"What happened?"

"I was an idiot," Daniel answered honestly, memories crowding in on him. "I was determined to prove my theories right. Didn't care about the cost. I...I deserved everything that happened, everything I lost. It was stupid and selfish."

"Get some sleep, Daniel."

"Huh?"

"You're tired. Self-flagellation is rarely attractive, Daniel. Wait until you have something real to regret."

That brought him up short. He knew Entar, if not Cleis, had a great deal to regret. Daniel opened his mouth to reply, but was saved by his cellphone ringing.

* * *

  


### Later

Daniel saw Sarah hesitate in the hotel entrance. The sunlight was behind her, making a halo of her blonde hair. No longer in funereal black, Sarah wore a white pantsuit with a full length, gauzy jacket over the top, reinforcing the first, angelic impression. Daniel stood and went to greet her as she saw him.

"Sarah," he smiled.

She opened her arms and he hugged her briefly. The omnipresent pain in his back was just a dull ache: much better than it had been earlier. Stepping back from her, Daniel caught her one of her hands in his. "I booked a table for three. I hope you don't mind."

"Afraid to be alone with me, Daniel?" she teased with a laugh.

"No, but I didn't want to leave Cleis alone. He's not really used to...America." That was the story he had agreed with Cleis. It certainly seemed the safest choice. It had the virtue of being true.

"Of course I don't mind," Sarah assured him. "Where is your friend?"

"He'll be down in a moment." Daniel hesitated, glancing toward the elevator. Cleis should have been with him by now. Then he turned his attention back to Sarah. "It's really good to see you again, Sarah. I'm sorry I was out of touch for so long."

"You can make up for it now. I want to know everything that's happened to you in the past five years."

"Everything? Um...that would take a while." Daniel wished he could tell her everything. "Um...where to begin...? After I left Chicago I got a research grant at UCLA. You know about that, don't you?" He waited for her nod. "When that dried up I found a job, uh, as a translator for the Air Force." That was close enough to the truth, Daniel thought. "I met my wife..."

"You're _married_?" Sarah sounded shocked.

"I was. She...died." Daniel swallowed; he still felt the loss of Sha're. He believed he always would. "A few months after I lost her, I had this accident." He forced a smile, straightening up. "Things are getting better for me now."

Daniel saw Sarah's smile vanish suddenly.

"Sarah, what's wrong? Sarah?"

She turned away from him abruptly, not answering.

Behind her, the elevator doors opened and Cleis stepped out. No, not Cleis. _Entar_. Daniel couldn't have explained why he was so certain of the difference, but he was. Entar's expression was cold, grim. His eyes locked on Sarah.

And Daniel understood.

_I could feel a presence...I believe it was Goa'uld._

Oh, god, no. Not Sarah. He suddenly remembered he hadn't called the SGC, as he'd planned. They were on their own.

Daniel stood frozen as Entar walked toward them. Sarah hadn't moved, but she was looking at Entar; Daniel couldn't see her face. Or her eyes.

Then Entar spoke. Daniel didn't need to translate his words: the very fact that Entar spoke himself, and in a Goa'uld language, told him everything he didn't want to know. The next instant something Daniel didn't see slammed into his guts and he was thrown backward. His cane clattered to the ground, skittering away from him across the polished floor.

Daniel hit the ground hard, taking the impact on his hip. Pain streaked down his leg. For a moment he lay there, stunned. Awkwardly, he began to get up. He couldn't see Sarah or Cleis.

"Are you okay, sir?" A young man in the hotel uniform helped Daniel to his feet.

He looked around for Sarah or Cleis. There was no sign of them.

"Are you okay, sir?" he was asked again.

The question finally penetrated. "I...I will be," he answered. Daniel accepted his cane from the young man. "Thank you." The pain in his back was returning with a vengeance. Daniel limped toward the entrance: that seemed to be the only direction Sarah and Cleis could have gone. This day was beginning to feel like a really bad movie.

As he reached the door, Cleis appeared. "I lost her. I'm sorry, Daniel."

"Where did she go?"

"She had a vehicle." Cleis caught his arm. "Are you hurt?" he asked urgently.

To that, Daniel had no answer. He shook off Cleis' touch, trying to think. "Sarah. She... She's..."

"She is Goa'uld. I don't know how it is possible for a symbiot to survive for so long without a host, but there is no doubt. Daniel..."

"Wait a second, let me think." Daniel swayed and Cleis took his arm again. "I'm okay." Daniel took a deep breath. "We have to call the SGC before we do anything else. Let's go upstairs."

Neither man spoke as they made their way back to the hotel room. It gave Daniel a space to think, but when they reached the room his head was still spinning. Sarah...it wasn't possible. He didn't doubt Entar's perceptions, but how could she have encountered a Goa'uld? When? It didn't make any sense.

As soon as they were in private Daniel, by then thinking clearly enough to prioritise, called the SGC on his cellphone. He spoke to Major Davis. It was an insecure line so Davies warned him — unnecessarily — not to say too much. Daniel was able to get the facts across even so.

Davis grasped the implications quickly. "I'll send a team out to back you up as soon as I can. Keep me informed, Daniel. What's the woman's full name?"

"Sarah Gardner. Doctor. She works at the university. Major, there are a lot of other artefacts there that have to be secured. There's no telling what technology could be among them. We also can't rule out the possibility that there's another...um...snake out there somewhere."

"Understood. Don't do anything, Daniel. Wait for backup, you understand. An SG team will be with you in a couple of hours. Understand?"

"I do," Daniel agreed. "But hurry." He hung up and put the phone away. A couple of hours would be too late. The Goa'uld wouldn't stick around now it had been discovered. In a few hours Sarah could be out of the country. Even if they waited for an SG team...what would they do to Sarah? They were trained to _kill_ Goa'uld...

He covered his face with his hands. "This can't be happening. What the hell is it about me? Am I a magnet for this type of thing?"

Cleis sat down beside him resting a hand on Daniel's shoulder. "If there's anything I can do..."

"I don't know, Cleis. Is there anything you can do? For Sarah?"

Entar answered. "It depends how long she has been a host, and how hard she fought. I explained to you how the Goa'uld force their will upon their hosts, do you remember?"

Daniel nodded unhappily.

"This Goa'uld must have been imprisoned in stasis. It may have been weakened. If she is strong..."

"_Can_ you help her?" Daniel demanded. He didn't want theory. He needed facts.

"I can try," Cleis offered. "The Tok'Ra can help save the host, but we have to find her first."

"Then let's go." Daniel forgot his orders and didn't care about the danger. In truth, he was thinking more of Sha're than of Sarah; Sha're, whom he had failed. He knew only that someone else, who he had once loved, had been stolen from him by the Goa'uld.

* * *

Daniel drove to the university. The city had changed in five years, but not so much that the streets were unfamiliar, and the layout of the campus had changed little.

"What I don't understand is why is this Goa'uld still here? Why continue to live Sarah's life?"

"If it is Osiris, he would go nowhere without Isis," Entar told him. "Sarah's work may have been his best chance of finding her."

"And if it's Isis we're dealing with?"

"Hope that it is not, my friend. The queens of the Goa'uld are not known for such loyalty. Your legends of Isis may paint a different picture, but don't be deceived by the history she herself wrote. If Isis is free on Earth, there is much more to fear."

"Isis is a queen? Like Hathor?"

"She is."

Daniel drove faster. "How close do you need to be to sense the Goa'uld?"

"Within thirty metres. But she will also sense me."

"I know." Daniel parked the car outside the university building. "Do you feel anything?"

"Not here."

"Let's go." Daniel knew exactly where the archaeology department was. He wanted to run all the way, but that was impossible for him. He could barely even walk quickly. Even on the worst days of his recovery, he had never been as frustrated with his body as he felt then. Two years before he could have gone from the parking lot to the department in two minutes. Today it took him that long just to reach the main entrance to the building, and by the time he got there he was out of breath.

"I don't think I can..." he began reluctantly.

"You _must_," Entar insisted. "Lean on me, my friend."

For a moment Daniel resisted, then swallowed his pride and allowed Entar to support him. "This way." With his friend's help, he led the way to the department.

As they reached the last set of doors, Entar stopped him. "She is here," he said.

* * *

Now it was Entar who led the way. Daniel had time, then, to ponder the idiocy of what they were doing: confronting a Goa'uld unarmed and without any backup at all. It was too late to change their minds now. They reached Doctor Jordan's office quickly. Where was Sarah?

They found her in an office, sitting at a computer. If she had sensed Entar's approach, she gave no sign of it. She looked up only as they entered.

Daniel had a moment to take in the wealth of Egyptian artefacts on the table between them. What treasures! Under other circumstances, he would have been in Paradise in this room.

The Goa'uld stood, and Daniel saw nothing of Sarah in her face now. It was as if a mask had fallen: a sensation horribly familiar to Daniel. For an instant he flashed back to watching Sha're disappear from her own lovely eyes after her child was born.

How had Sarah fooled him for so long? Daniel closed the door behind them, moving to block her exit. He could do nothing more here. It was up to Entar to help her. If he could.

As her eyes met his, Daniel couldn't help but speak. "Sarah," he began. Inside, he was shaking, still remembering Sha're. "Sarah, listen to me. I know what you're going through. We can help you if you fight it. Please, fight."

She laughed. It was a horrible sound. "You are weak and a fool. This host is mine. You can do nothing."

Entar moved forward, standing between her and Daniel. "You are mistaken," he declared. He added, in a Goa'uld dialect Daniel barely recognised: "The ancient ways of the Empire are no more in this place."

The Goa'uld's eyes fixed on Entar. "This world has come far, it is true, but you will find _you_ are the one who is mistaken."

It was her body language that confused Daniel's perceptions. Sarah had a dancer's body, her movements had always been effortlessly graceful. This Goa'uld moved more slowly, with stiff gestures. He couldn't read her the way he always had Sarah. Because of that, and because Entar was blocking his view, Daniel wasn't suspicious enough, soon enough.

"Where is my queen?" she demanded, and Daniel felt some of the weight in his heart lift. She had answered one question, at least.

"If I knew," Entar answered, "she would be dead."

Sarah's eyes flashed. _Wrong answer, Entar_, Daniel thought. Entar stood between them. Daniel couldn't see her...couldn't see her hands.

Entar spoke again. "Sarah, I know you can hear me. The Goa'uld is strong but we can free you. Fight him."

"Entar..." Daniel warned, uneasily.

He saw Sarah begin to raise a hand. He began to move forward, adrenaline surging through his veins. "Entar!" The instinct for danger developed in three years with SG-1 was as sharp as ever. What failed him, again, was his ruined body. Pain engulfed him as he dived toward his friend, with no conscious idea what he was about to do. He saw the dull gleam of the weapon in her hand and had time to wonder where in hell Sarah had obtained a gun. The next instant he was grabbing Entar's shoulders and they were both falling together. A shot rang out. Daniel's shoulder exploded with pain; the impact threw him backwards, away from Entar. He felt and heard a sickening _crack_ inside himself as he hit the ground. A second shot rang out. Daniel never heard the third.

Daniel was unconscious for only a few seconds. When he came to he tried to get up. Pain convinced him that was a bad idea. He looked at his shoulder. There was blood saturating his clothing, but he had enough experience to know it wasn't a fatal wound. He was losing a lot of blood, but if he could get to a hospital he would be okay. Satisfied with that, he looked for Entar.

It seemed to take Daniel forever to crawl over to where his friend lay. He was leaving a trail of blood behind him, but didn't care. Cleis was lying on his side, facing away from Daniel, bleeding from two wounds that Daniel could see; there might have been others.

Daniel felt Cleis' neck for a pulse. He found nothing. "Cleis!" Panic rose in him as he took in his friend's pallor. "Cleis! Come on, Cleis, don't die on me now. You're going to be okay. Cleis! Oh, god, please answer me."

Cleis' lips parted and he drew a ragged breath. For a moment, Daniel felt overwhelming relief. Then he heard Entar's voice.

"He...is...gone," Entar said and each word seemed a great effort. His eyes opened slightly.

Gone? Daniel felt his gut clench. As if he needed more pain right now! Cleis couldn't die. He couldn't lose another friend. Two friends, as Entar wouldn't survive without...

...Without a host...

No. He mustn't...he couldn't let Entar die.

Daniel's life replayed in his mind, the way people say happens to a dying man. All his hopes and fears. All his loves and losses...

_Sha're..._

_I can't believe you would even think about it. It's a Goa'uld, Daniel!_

_We could spend an eternity together, beloved..._

_I wish I could say I was okay with that..._

_It's a Goa'uld, Daniel!_

No. It's not. He's my friend.

Daniel placed his hands on either side of Entar's head. The simple movement cost him dearly; he cried out with pain, feeling a fresh rush of warm blood from his wound.

"Entar, you don't have to die. Can you hear me? You don't have to die." Tears stung his eyes. "Please, Entar. Oh, god, don't die." He saw the light in his friend's eyes flicker. "Entar!"

Entar took another rattling breath. "No," he whispered.

_I haven't taken an unwilling host since that day. I would rather die than do so again._

Tears fell from Daniel's eyes, unnoticed. "Entar, please, you don't have much time." How long could he survive in a body essentially dead? Seconds? A minute? It couldn't be longer. "Listen to me. I can't let you die. I _won't_. Please, do what you have to do. Let me be your host. I _want_ to be your host."

"...Help..."

Daniel knew what to do. He moved closer to his friend so their faces were almost touching, mouth to mouth. Almost a kiss. "I'm ready..."

It happened very quickly. A brief, strange sensation in his mouth. A stinging pain in his throat — nothing compared to the bullet in his shoulder. The taste of blood. For a full second, there was nothing more. Then Daniel was suddenly aware of being pushed aside, and saw his own hand reach out to close Cleis' eyes.

«_Farewell, beloved_.» Not merely words, but an intense wave of sadness flooding Daniel's heart. Was this Entar?

«_Who else?_» the thought returned, mildly amused.

It was then that the door crashed open. Daniel heard a woman's voice. He tried to look up, to reassure her. Another wave of pain engulfed him and everything went black.

* * *

Daniel woke up in bed.

At first, he had no idea where he was. Waking was a sudden, shocking awareness of memories spanning thousands of years; of knowledge he had never learned; and of a foreign awareness within his mind. It was just a presence, however, as much a part of him as his own heartbeat, but nothing close to the crushing weight of his nightmares.

«_I would not betray your trust._» The thought was carried on a wave of comfort, reassuring Daniel on several levels.

This communication was new to him, unlike anything Daniel could have imagined, yet somehow he knew exactly how to respond. «_Entar?_» he sent, experimentally. «_This feels strange. Frightening_.»

«_It is new for both of us, my friend, but there is nothing to fear_.»

Satisfied, Daniel opened his eyes. The ceiling above him was white, as were the walls. He was lying in a hospital bed, his shoulder swathed in bandages.

«_My shoulder?_»

«_You were shot_.» Entar's memory of Daniel's attempt to save him accompanied the thought.

«_It doesn't hurt,_» Daniel realised with surprise.

«_Why would it? It didn't take long to heal._»

This was a hospital, but it wasn't the SGC. «_How am I supposed to explain a disappearing bullet wound?_»

«_You won't need to_.»

"Daniel Jackson." It was Teal'c's voice, sluicing into Daniel's awareness.

He looked toward the sound and recognised his friend sitting there. "Teal'c," he said with a smile. "Are we still in Chicago?"

"We are," Teal'c confirmed.

"Why are you here?"

"I accompanied SG-7 at the request of Major Davis. Do you remember what happened?"

All too well. "Sarah," he said. "Sarah Gardener. She's a Goa'uld. Osiris." That memory again, his desperate lunge forward when he realised she was armed. The memory of death. He closed his eyes against the grief both he and Entar felt. "Cleis is dead," he remembered.

"I must report this," Teal'c said.

Daniel heard the scrape of his chair as Teal'c stood, and he opened his eyes. "Teal'c, wait," he said. "I checked the inventory of the artefacts before I left the SGC. There were two canopic jars among them, representing Osiris and Isis. That must be where the symbiot came from. You have got to find the Isis jar. We can't risk her finding a host. She's a queen like Hathor."

"I understand." Teal'c headed for the door quickly, and Daniel registered for the first time that he was in a private room. Left alone, he closed his eyes again, trying to relax and just feel. Entar's presence within him would take some getting used to.

When Teal'c returned, Janet was with him. Daniel's heart leapt. She was a sight for sore eyes! He sat up in bed to greet her. "Jan! God, it's good to see you."

She smiled warmly. "You too, Daniel. How are you feeling?"

"Physically? Fine."

Her smile faded slightly. "Daniel, I know this is hard, but..."

_Uh-oh_. "What's wrong?"

"We're having some jurisdictional problems with the local police, but you don't need to worry about that. I was able to examine Cleis' body, and..."

Daniel guessed where she was going. "It was Osiris."

"Teal'c told me."

"I blacked out for a minute when she shot me. When I came to, I tried to help Cleis, but it was too late for him. It wasn't too late for Entar." He held her eyes with his own, not knowing how she would react to this. "Entar...he's here. With me."

Janet paled, but it was Teal'c who spoke first. "He made you his host." Blunt as always.

"No! ...I mean, yes, but you make it sound like... Teal'c, I was — and am — willing. I asked him to do it."

His words shocked Janet out of her silence. "_Why_?" she demanded.

"I couldn't let him die. Entar is my friend," he answered honestly. "Jan, please understand. I couldn't just watch him die. Cleis was already gone."

"I understand, Daniel," Janet said. It sounded like a lie. She bit her lip a little. "Unfortunately..." She hesitated. "Daniel, if this happened at the SGC it would be different. But there's at least one Goa'uld out there, possibly more than one. If there's a symbiot inside you, we have no way to be sure it's Entar."

Daniel felt cold suddenly. He hadn't even considered that.

«_There is nothing to fear, my friend_,» Entar reminded him, confident and reassuring.

«_Maybe you don't know how paranoid the military can be_.»

«_I know all that you know. These are your friends, and Janet is correct, you realise. They need to be sure_.»

«_Yeah. I know_.»

"You're saying I could be a Goa'uld," Daniel said aloud.

"I'm saying there are certain protocols I have to follow, regardless of my opinion."

Sometimes Daniel lost sight of the fact Janet was an Air Force officer as well as a doctor. He nodded, understanding. "So...how does this work, exactly? Should I consider myself under arrest?"

Janet's expression answered him; she looked incredibly uncomfortable.

Teal'c spoke up. "I will remain with Daniel until we return to the SGC."

Daniel began to breathe again. "Would that work, Jan? Look, I understand you have to be careful here, but if you and Teal'c don't believe I'm any threat to Earth, is there any reason to make this harder for everyone?"

Janet looked from one man to the other. "Until I get different orders, I think that satisfies the protocol. Teal'c will have to remain with you at all times, though."

"I understand," Teal'c volunteered.

Daniel nodded, agreeing. What had he got himself into? 

«_An adventure_,» came Entar's wry response.


	12. Learning Experience

_The desert sun burned hotter than the fires of Netu. His flesh was dry and shrivelled, encrusted with dust and dirt. The palms of his hands were lacerated by sharp stones, dried blood adding to the filth. He could barely see: his eyes were dry and gritty. He knew he was dying. The thought was terrifying._

_He stumbled on, refusing to surrender to death. His body did not have the strength to walk, but he dared not rest. If he stopped, he would die. He kept going._

_Darkness. A million stars in the sky above. The cold of the desert night was worse than the heat of the day. It crept into his bones, slowing him down. He dared not stop to sleep or rest._

_Finally there was light ahead. He made for the light, no longer able to walk but crawling across the sands. His once-perfect body was ruined. He forced the body onward, past the point of death, uncaring that he couldn't possibly survive this. He focussed on the light. He had to reach the light. Each movement brought more pain. Each breath was harder to take. But each movement, each breath, brought him closer to his goal._

_The light was closer now. A final, desperate effort: somehow he forced himself to stand and stumbled forward into the circle of light, to collapse, dying, at the feet of the young shaman. _

_The boy cried out in a language Daniel did not yet comprehend. He was aware of others around them, others who stepped back at the shaman's command, leaving him to the boy. The boy — such a beauty — knelt beside Daniel's helpless body. In his hand he held an ancient staff, decorated with feathers and topped with a vulture's skull. He shook the staff over Daniel, chanting in that unknown tongue. At last he set the staff down and reached out to touch._

_Daniel grasped the boy's arm with his withered hand, drawing him close. _That's it, beautiful child. Come to me._ Far from resisting, the boy leaned closer, his dark eyes glittering, his expression one of expectation not of fear._

_Abandoning the dying body he wore, Daniel entered the boy swiftly. The young shaman screamed once and was then silent. Looking out of the boy's eyes for the first time, Daniel rose slowly. He lifted the staff from the sand and slowly walked away. _

_The shaman's screams echoed in his mind, but only in his mind. Behind him, his former host was so much dead meat, rotting where it lay._

* * *

Daniel woke with a cry. Bile rose in his throat. He threw the bedcovers aside and scrambled out of the bed. He just made it to the bathroom before he began to vomit. He continued to retch even after there was nothing left to bring up. His throat felt raw.

«_I'm sorry_.»

Daniel wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. His hand was trembling badly. He tried to take a deep breath to calm himself and was promptly sick again.

«_Daniel..._»

«_Stop it! Can't you leave me alone for a second?_»

Pain lanced through his skull and Daniel cried out.

...Just like the boy...

Oh, god, what was this? What had he done?

Another lightning bolt of pain tore into him.

"Stop it!" Daniel cried aloud.

«_It is not me_.»

"Please!"

Then the bathroom was flooded with light, and there was another voice, from outside him this time. "Daniel. Daniel Jackson." There were hands on his body, drawing him away from the basin. A touch he recognised. "Daniel, what is wrong?"

"Teal'c?" Daniel clung to his friend, his mind awhirl with fear and panic. "Oh, god, Teal'c, make it stop. Please make it stop."

Strong arms held him tightly. "Daniel, you must tell me what is wrong."

_Everything_ was wrong! "Help me, Teal'c. I'm losing myself in him. Oh, god, I can't... Stop it, please." Tears overflowed, choking him. Teal'c was a rock, unmoveable.

"Daniel..."

"Please, help me — "

Teal'c pushed him away, holding Daniel at arm's length. A stinging slap shocked Daniel silent. He stared at Teal'c, wide-eyed.

The Jaffa's expression was like thunder. "Entar, what is happening?" he demanded.

«_No, don't!_»

Daniel's protest was ineffective.

«_Forgive me, my friend._» Entar pushed him aside easily. "Teal'c, Daniel is fighting me, trying to reject our blending. He is afraid."

"Then you must leave him."

"It is too late. If I try it will kill us both. Help him, Teal'c. He trusts you."

Entar withdrew, leaving Daniel shaking in his friend's arms. Teal'c gathered him close and held him there, comforting. He had done this when Daniel was sick, in the days when he couldn't walk, when Daniel's moods would have driven away anyone else. Teal'c was his rock and his defence against despair. He would accept comfort from no one else, but Teal'c he trusted with everything he was.

Finally, the tremors in his body stilled and Daniel lay quietly in Teal'c's arms. Teal'c moved then, getting to his feet and helping Daniel to stand.

"Come."

"What? Where?"

"Come," Teal'c repeated, impassive as always.

Daniel followed him obediently. Teal'c's room was filled with candlelight and the familiar scent of warm wax. Teal'c lifted the largest candle and handed it to Daniel. Daniel understood, then, what Teal'c intended to do. Could this help him, now? Could anything? He took the candle from his friend's hands uncertainly.

"Sit, Daniel."

"I remember." He knelt, placing the candle on the floor between them. It took him a long time to calm down, but listening to Teal'c's deep voice, Daniel was eventually able to rest.

* * *

  


### Morning

It was late when Daniel finally woke and there was sunlight streaming in through the window. He sat up in bed, wondering why Teal'c hadn't roused him. Then he remembered. He remembered a dream/nightmare. He remembered crying like a baby in Teal'c's arms. He remembered Entar...

«_Entar_?»

«_I am here, my friend_.» There was a distinct thread of wariness in Entar's thought.

«_What happened_?» Daniel didn't remember returning to bed.

«_Your Jaffa friend is very wise_,» Entar told him. He added, ashamed, «_Perhaps I am not_.»

«_No, Entar, it was my fault. Did I hurt you_?» The memory was coming back more clearly: he had fought Entar as if he were a Goa'uld. He tried to force him to...

«_You did not harm me, my friend. The crisis had to happen_.»

«_I don't want you to leave me_.» Daniel tried to send the thought strongly.

«_This I know_.»

«_That dream...was that real_?»

«_Most of it. I was Goa'uld once, my friend_.»

«_Yeah, I remember_.» Daniel swung his legs over the edge of the bed and took a deep breath, running both hands through his hair. «_Could you take over for a while, Entar? I need to think about this._»

«_I can if you let me_.»

It was the first time Daniel had given up control of his body so completely. It was a strange feeling, being a passenger within his own flesh. It was difficult to relax at first. Unlike the night before, Entar didn't fight Daniel for control. Daniel had to relax or his own impulses would conflict with Entar's. He was aware that Entar could override his control, but he wouldn't do so. The results were hilarious at first, as he instinctively held still each time Entar tried to move, instead of doing nothing. Eventually Daniel caught on to what he had to do...and not do, but was the most peculiar feeling for his body to move without his volition.

By the time Entar had dressed in Daniel's clothes and was ready to leave the room, Daniel was comfortable with him in control. He let his thoughts drift back to his nightmare. There was no way for him to hide his feelings from Entar but Daniel didn't try. He _needed_ Entar to know what he was thinking: his horror at what Entar had done in his past, his discomfort with what he now understood about Entar's history — it was one thing to hear it, but completely another to remember living through it. Most of all, though, Daniel needed Entar to understand that he wanted the relationship they now shared to work, and not only because he now had no choice. His decision to become Entar's host was not an impulsive one. It was made in love and Daniel did not regret it.

It might not be easy to convince Teal'c of that. He tended to see things in black and white. Last night Entar told him...

«_Entar, is that true? That we would both die if you left me? I thought the Tok'Ra could remove a symbiot without harming the host_.»

«_At great risk to the symbiot, that is true_.» Entar understood that Daniel's question was only hypothetical. «I_t is difficult to leave a host body, even when the hosts dies. To do so safely is harmful to the host. When the host is dying anyway, that doesn't matter. But to leave your body, my friend, without harming you, I would have to leave part of myself behind. That could kill us both. When the Tok'Ra surgically remove a symbiot from a host, the host can be unharmed but the symbiot is not. Some recover. Most do not_.»

«_So you'd never use that procedure to remove a Tok'Ra symbiot, only a Goa'uld_,» Daniel concluded. «_Jolinar claimed she could leave Sam without harming her_,» he remembered suddenly.

«_If she had not fully blended with the host, it is difficult, but possible_,» Entar confirmed. «_That does not excuse her action_.» And Daniel recoiled from the harsh condemnation in Entar's thought.

* * *

  


### Cheyenne Mountain

Janet shone her penlight into Daniel's eye. His pupil contracted normally and he blinked against the light. She checked his pulse rate, noting his respiration and body temperature as she did so.

Teal'c watched her closely as she worked, his expression giving nothing away.

Janet noted the test results on a sheet of paper. She clipped the penlight back on the breast pocket of her lab coat. She turned to Daniel.

"You seem to be fine," she told him, well aware he already knew that.

"I feel okay," he confirmed. "Better than I've felt for years."

"So would one of you like to tell me what this is all about?"

The two men exchanged a glance and Janet frowned.

Daniel nodded, then turned to Janet. "Last night I had a nightmare. Something from Entar's memories. I didn't handle it too well and I...panicked." He glanced at Teal'c again. "It was a crisis, but it's over. I'm fine now."

Daniel's matter-of-fact tone was not reassuring. Janet knew he occasionally suffered from nightmares. She also knew that tone was his way of trying to hide his real feelings. She wasn't prepared to let him get away with that.

Daniel's sudden decision to become a host — if that was really what happened — frightened Janet badly. She didn't entirely trust the Tok'Ra. Major Carter's experience with Jolinar almost killed her. Janet never forgot, even though Sam eventually adjusted to the experience and it had ultimately proved beneficial to the SGC, that Jolinar used her as ruthlessly as any Goa'uld. After the symbiot's death, Sam was near-catatonic for days.

Janet did not want to risk that happening to Daniel.

"You're fine?" she repeated. "Until next time, I assume." Teal'c's eyes met hers as she spoke and she understood he feared the same thing. That was why he brought Daniel to her.

Daniel shook his head. "There won't be a next time. Not like that."

"Explain," Teal'c insisted.

"Teal'c, last night I didn't know what was going on. If it happens again, I'll know." He turned to Janet, his expression serious. "It was frightening, and I know I scared Teal'c. That's why I agreed to come here. But..."

"No buts. If _Teal'c_ was scared by whatever happened, how do you think I would have reacted, Daniel?"

"I don't know."

"Right. Teal'c is scheduled to return to the SGA today, and I don't want you sleeping in that house alone. You'll spend the next few nights here in the infirmary where we can keep you under observation — "

"No way!"

"Don't argue with me. You can co-operate and sleep in the infirmary, or I'll talk to the general and you can sleep in a holding cell. Your choice."

Even Teal'c managed to look shocked.

Daniel looked away, closing his eyes briefly. When he met her eyes again, Entar spoke through Daniel's lips. "There is no need for that. I understand your fears, Doctor."

Hearing a Goa'uld speak with Daniel's voice made real all of Janet's worst fears. She couldn't look at him. Couldn't bear it.

"Doctor, shortly after we first met, you and I worked together to find a cure for the Goa'uld-created plague. You learned to trust me then."

"If you _are_ Entar. We still don't know that."

"I see." He nodded gravely. "When we analysed the bacteria that caused the plague, we discovered the cell membranes had a shifting molecular pattern. I showed you how to create a counter-agent and you wanted to experiment on yourself. Do you recall our conversation?"

"Yes, I think so." Janet held her breath and listened to Entar. He recounted their conversation as he remembered it. They had been alone at the time, and even if Cleis had mentioned it to Daniel at some point, it was unlikely he would have repeated it to Daniel word-for-word. As closely as Janet could remember, Entar's account of their conversation was exactly correct.

It proved he was Entar, not some other Goa'uld.

If only she could find that reassuring.

She interrupted. "You've made your point. If we're done here, I have work to do."

"Janet, please!" It was Daniel's voice.

Janet turned to face him. _How could you do this, Daniel? Why?_ "Perhaps you'd like to help us out? We need to finish our examination of the artefacts SG-7 recovered from the university."

* * *

Janet knocked on the open door to General Vidrine's office.

The general looked up at the sound. "Yes, Doctor?"

"You asked to see me?"

"Come in. Close the door."

Janet obeyed, taking a seat opposite the general when he invited her to sit down.

"I need your opinion of what happened to Daniel Jackson in Chicago."

Janet nodded. "According to Daniel, Cleis was killed by Osiris and he offered himself as a host to Entar. I am...uncertain of the truth, but there is no doubt that Daniel does have a symbiot within him, and I do believe it is Entar."

"Can you be certain?"

"There's no Tok'Ra equivalent of comparing fingerprints, if that's what you're asking, sir. I have talked with him, though, and I believe he is who he says he is. Entar and I worked together closely during the plague. He knows things Daniel couldn't have known."

The general nodded. "That's a relief. Is there anything else I need to know?"

"Perhaps. Teal'c brought Daniel to the infirmary late this morning. I couldn't find anything physically wrong with him, but apparently Daniel went through some sort of crisis last night. I don't know the details, but I want to keep him under observation for a few days. I have asked him to sleep in the infirmary and I don't think he should leave the base alone."

"Do you think he's a danger?"

"Perhaps to himself, but not to others. Honestly, sir, I don't know what to think. Daniel insists it won't happen again, but I'd like to be sure of that. We know very little about how this 'blending' works."

"Do as you think best, Doctor. I trust your medical judgement."

"Thank you, sir."

"What about the artefacts recovered from the university?"

"Daniel is helping us examine them. Most of the artefacts are just what they appear to be: Ancient Egyptian relics. I'll be able to make a more detailed report before the end of the day."

"I'll look forward to your report. If you find anything indicative of Goa'uld technology I want to know at once."

"Yes, sir."

* * *

The Isis jar stood within a sealed isolation unit in the centre of the room. A short distance away, the MRI image of the jar and its contents was displayed on a monitor. The image clearly showed the Goa'uld symbiot within the jar.

General Vidrine stood beside Janet. They were both watching the monitor.

"According to the university records," Daniel reported, "Doctor Jordan had reserved the use of their magnetic resonance scanner the night he died. He must have scanned the Osiris jar and found the symbiot within it. If he told Sarah, or she was there at the time..."

"She opened the jar," Janet concluded for him.

"That's my guess. They had no way to know what they were dealing with."

"Then you believe the symbiot we're looking at is alive?" Vidrine interrupted.

Janet nodded. "It's likely. We won't know until we open it."

"You should let me do that," Daniel said firmly.

"Why you?" the general asked.

"If we free a living symbiot it will immediately seek a host. I am the only person in this room who won't be at risk, General. The isolation unit is a precaution, but it might not contain a Goa'uld."

Vidrine glanced at Janet, who nodded. "Proceed, Doctor Jackson," he said.

Daniel pushed his hands into the gloves that let him into the unit. It was an awkward way to work, but he wasn't about to complain. Everyone else — Janet, the general and the SFs in the room — wisely kept their distance. Daniel picked up the jar.

"It looks like an Ancient Egyptian canopic jar," he said aloud, repeating what they already knew for the benefit of the camera which was recording everything. "There are markings on the front in Goa'uld script..._hakorr kra terak shree_. It means 'Banished to oblivion'. There are no other external markings. There's a small naquadah power cell inside..." Daniel could _feel_ the naquadah within the jar. It was a strange sensation. He took a breath and went on. "The seal on the jar is cracked, but I'd say that happened some time ago, probably when the original Stewart Expedition recovered the artefacts. Obviously the jar hasn't been opened. I'm going to open it now."

This was a ten thousand year old artefact and he was just going to crack it open. The archaeologist in him was appalled: there was so much that _should_ be done before just opening it like this. Daniel broke the seal carefully. Holding the jar closed, he glanced up to make sure no one else was close by.

«_Continue, my friend. They are safe_.»

He took a deep breath. «_Here goes..._» Daniel angled the jar toward him and removed the top carefully. His awareness of the naquadah within it immediately became stronger. "There's definitely a symbiot inside," he said aloud. "The jar is filled with a liquid of some kind. The symbiot must be unconscious, or dead. It's not moving." He lifted one of the tools provided within the isolation unit. "Stay back. I'm going to get the symbiot out of the jar." He probed within the jar.

«_It is dead, my friend_.»

«_Are you sure?_»

«_Certain._»

He drew the symbiot out of the jar. «_You're right_.» "You can relax. It's dead." He looked up. "Janet?"

She stepped forward, coming to the opposite side of the unit. "It's perfectly preserved," she said in surprise.

"The jar is a stasis unit. My guess is the symbiot was preserved, alive, until the seal was broken. Even dead, the chamber preserved it. If you want to examine it, Janet, you don't have long. Symbiots decay very quickly once they die."

She glanced at the general, who said, "Go ahead, Doctor."

Janet threaded her hands through the gloves and picked up a scalpel.

«_Allow me_.»

Entar set the jar down and removed his hands from the isolation unit. "Doctor Fraiser, a Goa'uld queen has significantly different physiology from a normal symbiot. Allow me to assist you."

Janet looked up, startled, when Entar began to speak. Then she nodded. "Thank you."

* * *

  


### Next Day

Janet closed the report and looked up at Daniel. The discovery of the Isis jar with a dead Goa'uld symbiot inside had convinced the important people that Daniel's story was true. Protocol required a full medical before she could release him. As she was no longer his doctor, officially, Janet left that task to one of the other doctors on staff. She was grateful General Vidrine hadn't ordered a psych profile as well.

"That's it, Daniel," she told him with relief. "You're free to go." _Free to walk away_, her treacherous mind added.

Daniel shook his head. "No," he said quietly. "That's not it, Jan. Can we talk about this?"

No. Not now. Not here. "After work," she said shortly.

"Okay," Daniel agreed easily. Too easily. "But let me say one thing." He raised a hand, as if to reach for her, but let it drop.

She wondered if her body language made him do that; he had always been able to read her. "I'm listening," she said.

"I know this came as a shock to you, Jan. I understand it's going to take some getting used to. It will for me, too. I just want you to know that I am _still_ Daniel, and I still love you."

Janet bit her lip. She wanted to believe him...she _did_ believe him. But... She wasn't even sure what the "but" was, only that it was there.

"Let me cook you dinner tonight," Daniel offered. "My place."

He looked at her, his blue eyes so earnest she had to smile. "That sounds nice," she agreed.

He did reach for her then, kissing her cheek gently. "Until later, then." He began to walk toward the exit.

The telephone rang and Janet answered it. It was General Vidrine. She listened to his request and waved to get Daniel's attention before he left. "Yes, sir, he's still here," she answered the general.

That got Daniel's attention. He pointed to his chest as he turned, mouthing silently "For me?"

Janet nodded, still listening to the general. "Yes, sir." She hung up the phone. "General Vidrine wants to see you in the briefing room. SG-7 are back."

* * *

Major Banks reported succinctly, telling the story of their pursuit of Osiris. SG-7 had followed Sarah Gardener to Cairo, and from there into the desert to the tomb and temple complex that the Stewart Expedition had originally excavated. They failed to recapture Osiris; in fact they reached the tomb just in time to see a small Goa'uld ship rise out of the sand and take off. When they entered the tomb itself they found a man's body, nothing more.

"Whose body?" Daniel asked.

"A Doctor Stephen Rayner. He was one of the researchers working on the artefacts..."

"I know. I mean...I knew Stephen. Why was he there?" His death came as a shock. Stephen had never been his friend, but Daniel certainly never wished him harm.

"Your guess is as good as mine, Doctor Jackson. Maybe better, if you knew the man. All we know is we found a body."

Vidrine interrupted them. "Your report, Doctor Jackson."

«_Oops_.» "Yes, sir. Doctor Fraiser and I examined the Isis Jar. An MRI revealed a second Goa'uld symbiot within it. In the isolation chamber, we opened the jar; the symbiot inside it was dead but perfectly preserved. That's unusual: a symbiot's body usually decays very quickly when it dies. We were able to confirm that the symbiot was Isis."

"How can you be certain?"

"Isis was a queen Go'auld. Their physiology is significantly different from a normal symbiot."

"Understood. Go on."

Daniel nodded. "The jar itself appears to be some kind of stasis chamber, with a naquadah power cell. The seal on the jar was broken; I think that's why the symbiot was dead. We are still analysing the liquid within it. Doctor Fraiser believes we will be able to synthesise the liquid. It affected the symbiot as a powerful sedative: so it could be very useful." Daniel paused and took a deep breath. "Osiris and Isis were imprisoned in the canopic jars between six and seven thousand years ago. I haven't found any evidence of Goa'uld technology in the remaining artefacts, so in the absence of other evidence I'd say they were placed in the temple long after the symbiots were imprisoned. The Egyptians probably never had any idea what was inside. As Isis is dead, Osiris is — or was — the only identifiable threat, and..." he glanced at Major Banks, "...Osiris is no longer on Earth. I don't believe he'll be back."

"Wait a minute," Vidrine interrupted. "You're telling me Osiris flew off in a ship that was buried in Egypt for seven thousand years?"

"Yes," Daniel answered simply. "General, Goa'uld technology is based on principles entirely different from our own. As long as the outer hull remains intact, a tel'tac will last essentially forever. The power source is based on liquid naquadah which doesn't decay or degrade. The crystals that form the control core of their ships need to be replaced from time to time but they don't erode. Time the ships spend idle makes no difference. Seven thousand years...seven minutes. It's all the same." Daniel looked to Major Banks. "Was it a tel'tac you saw?"

"What's a claptrap?"

Daniel stifled a smile: that reminded him of Jack. "_Tel'tac_," he repeated. "A Goa'uld cargo ship. Um...about the size of a house, maybe smaller, shaped like a triangular pyramid with a slightly concave hull."

"Sounds about right," the major agreed.

Daniel nodded. "General, a tel'tac, even one as old as this, is capable of faster-than-light travel. Osiris could be anywhere by now. I recommend alerting the Tok'Ra: their resources are best suited to a search of this nature."

"Sarah Gardner knew nothing of the stargate program," Vidrine pointed out. "I don't think pursuit is a priority."

«_Easy, my friend..._»

Daniel fixed his eyes on the general, coldly. "I was talking about saving Sarah."

* * *

Daniel hadn't been sure he would be allowed to leave Cheyenne Mountain alone. If General Hammond were still running the SGC, Daniel thought he would probably have been confined to the mountain for a long time. But Hammond was long dead, and General Vidrine saw things in black and white; he was impatient with nuances. If the symbiot in the jar was Isis, then the symbiot in Daniel's head could only be Entar. If that was the case, Vidrine had no right to hold him. Entar, by the terms of the Tau'ri-Tok'Ra treaty, was an ambassador. That protected Daniel, too, at least as far as the general was concerned.

It was a fragile situation, and couldn't possibly last, but for the moment, Daniel had his freedom.

Carrying a heavy bag of fresh food in his arms, he walked back to his car. The window display in a jewellery store caught his eye and he walked that way for a closer look. This was the store where he found the necklace and earrings he had given Janet for Christmas. White gold and rubies: the set cost Daniel a fortune. It was worth every dollar to see her smile.

He loved her.

Daniel's eyes moved over the display in the jeweller's window. He saw a ring: white gold with a small cluster of three rubies. It wasn't the first time he had considered buying a ring...and everything that went with it.

«_It's not what you really want_.»

«_How would you know_?»

«_How do you think_?»

Daniel sighed. «_You won't let me lie to myself, will you? I do love her, Entar_.»

«_My friend, I feel everything you feel. I know your love for her. It's the marriage you don't want_.»

«_She's just not...She's not Sha're._» But no one ever would be, Daniel realised. He found himself looking at the ring again, picturing it on Janet's hand. It was a beautiful picture.

If he and Janet could work this out, he would have to give serious thought to buying that ring.

«_Do I get a say in that_?»

Daniel found himself laughing. «_I don't know, Entar. I'll have to think about that, too_.»

* * *

  


### Next Day

Janet pushed open the door of the SGC gymnasium and looked around the room. She saw Daniel almost at once. He was on the cross-trainer, with his back to the door. She watched him for a moment, observing his posture and the play of his muscles...it was hard to believe it was the same Daniel. There was no sign of the pain that had plagued him for so long. Judging by the way his T-shirt clung damply to his skin, he had been in the gym for some time.

Last night was their first "date" since his return from Chicago. Daniel cooked a romantic meal for them both. It was awkward at first; both of them were nervous and trying too hard. Eventually they abandoned the meal and talked. Talked about everything.

Janet had been afraid that her Daniel would have changed too much, too quickly. As they talked, she realised she was just as afraid that the change wouldn't show. She remembered how easily Jolinar fooled Sam's friends — Janet included — and understood that if Daniel were exactly the same person he had been a few days before, she wouldn't be able to handle that, either.

Daniel was the same man he always was. He laughed at the same jokes and held her in the same way. His forehead still creased in the same frown when he was serious. His eyes didn't glow...at least not that Janet saw. Yet there were differences. An odd hesitation, sometimes, before he spoke. A way of frowning one moment, and smiling the next. A faraway look in his eyes sometimes that she had never seen before. He was still her Daniel.

When it was time for her to leave — she couldn't stay out all night; she had Cassie to think of — Daniel drove her home. They were still talking when they reached her driveway, so he came inside. He ended up spending the night.

Everything had been wonderful...until the morning.

"Daniel," Janet called softly, stepping over and around gym equipment to come into his field of view.

He stopped what he was doing and smiled at her. "Hi." He was short of breath.

"Are you sure you're up to this?" Janet asked him worriedly. "I know Entar has healed your back, but..."

He stepped down from the trainer, reaching for a towel. "Don't worry. Entar won't let me overdo it." The corners of his mouth twisted wryly. "I have a feeling he'll be more of a nag about that than you are." He buried his face in the towel briefly, wiping the seat from his brow and cheeks. "I just want to get fit again, now that I can. I'm horribly out of condition." The towel was tossed over his shoulder. He cast a glance at the weights then shook his head. "Guess I'm done for today. Did you want me?"

"Just to apologise for this morning," Janet told him.

They began walking to the exit. Daniel opened the door for her, biting his lip. "I'm not sure I can accept the apology, Jan. Something was bothering you this morning. I'd rather you explain it than try to sweep it under the carpet with sorry." He closed the door behind them.

They were alone in the corridor, but someone could walk by any moment. It wasn't really the right place for a private conversation. "It's nothing," Janet evaded.

"'Nothing' made you bite my head off in front of Cassie? I'm confused, honey. Last night when we went to bed I thought everything was fine. What happened between then and this morning to make you angry with me?"

_Honey._ Janet smiled involuntarily. Daniel called her that in bed. She loved the endearment from him; he always put so much love into the word, it warmed her every time she heard it. She looked up, meeting his eyes and saw only honest confusion.

"I wasn't angry..."

"Angry, pissed off, on-edge, irritated," he recited. "Whichever word you use, I still want to know what I did wrong."

"You made love to me," she confessed helplessly, feeling stupid.

Daniel stopped walking. "Excuse me?" His blue eyes were wide and for the first time she noticed he wasn't wearing his glasses.

Oh, god, the corridors of the SGC were really not the place for this conversation! Her gaze dropped to the floor.

He caught her arm. "Janet...we've already talked about this. I know my decision to blend with Entar will take some getting used to. I was prepared..." He looked down, then corrected himself, "I _thought_ I was prepared for this to be an insurmountable problem. Something we might not get past. But...you were angry because _I made love to you_? Help me understand this, love."

"It's not because we made love. It's _how_."

_His kisses all over her stomach and thighs...his tongue probing her mouth, her navel, her most secret places...Daniel rising above her, his body surrounding her..._

"You've never been like that with me before."

Daniel's grip on her arm lessened. "Oh, honey, I never _could_. As much as I love to... It was just too hard... Sometimes I couldn't even...well, you know. Jan, I was in pain all the time. Last night...that was the first time I wasn't hurting while we..." He glanced around, as if he'd suddenly realised where they were. "Uh...maybe we should talk about this someplace private."

She smiled despite herself. "Nowhere on the base is private."

He returned her smile wryly. "True enough."

"Daniel...it was just... It made me wonder if it was just you. And that brought home to me how...how big this change is. It's going to change _everything_. Will you even be able to stay on Earth?"

He nodded, a little sadly. "I think so. It's not entirely up to me. I can't change my mind now, honey. I don't want to."

"I can understand why. I'm happy he was able to heal you."

Daniel's hand came up to touch her face. "Everything will work out, Jan. I promise."


	13. Unwelcome News

The pulp magazine that led Daniel to Chicago still lay on Daniel's desk. He sat down in his usual place, flicking through the magazine without reading it. He missed Cleis' presence on the other side of the desk. Instead, Entar was constantly within his mind...and his body. The feeling was becoming familiar; in a few more days it would be as normal to Daniel as breathing.

If he survived today.

«_Of course you will_.»

«_I know. I'm just nervous. I wish I had some idea what he'll say_.»

«_He's your friend, isn't he? He will understand. Focus on our real task for today, and stop worrying about your friend_.»

Someone tapped lightly on the frame of the open door and Daniel looked up. Major Davis stood there, carrying a package wrapped in brown paper. Daniel smiled a greeting. "Come in, Paul." He looked pointedly at the package. "Did you get lost looking for the mail room?"

"No, this is yours." Davis laid the package on the desk before sitting down. "The Chicago Police finally released Cleis' body. These are his personal effects. Yours now, I suppose."

"Oh. Thanks," Daniel picked up the package. Davis looked uncomfortable. Daniel was getting used to that; everyone treated him differently now. "Paul, relax, will you? I'm still me."

"Yeah, I know. Uh...Daniel, I need to know what to do with Cleis' body. Earth owes him a lot and I want to make sure he's treated with respect."

Daniel swallowed back the still-raw grief. "I appreciate the thought."

"The general told me you're leaving for Vorash today. If you want to delay..."

"I can't delay," Daniel said quickly. He was tense enough as it was. "I need to get this over with. I'm a nervous wreck already."

"Over facing the Tok'Ra?"

"No. Facing Jack O'Neill."

"Ah." The small smile told Daniel that Davis understood. "Well, you don't have to decide anything now. If you want us to arrange a memorial service, just tell me or General Vidrine."

"That's...kind of you."

"The only thing is I don't have any idea how the Tok'Ra do these things, or what Cleis would have wanted."

As the question formed in his mind, Daniel found the answer there. "The Tok'Ra don't bury their dead. They use the stargate. It's their version of cremation."

Davies frowned, not understanding. "The stargate?"

"They place the body on a bier in front of the gate and dial up a planet. Someplace significant to the one who died. The wave of the event horizon vaporises the body. Sometimes someone says a few words, but the Tok'Ra aren't big on ceremony. There's rarely time."

"That should be easy enough to arrange. I'll take care of it for you. That's...if you're coming back?"

The question was significant, and Daniel guessed Davis knew about the new problem he had learned about that morning. He nodded. "In spite of General Vidrine's little bombshell, yes, Entar and I are planning to return."

"Then I'll arrange it." Davis stood and went to the door. He turned back suddenly. "Daniel...I'm sorry for your loss. You and Entar." He was gone before Daniel could respond.

«_Thank you_.» Daniel smiled, looking down at the package in front of him. This wasn't Cleis. The package contained things. Not the essence of his friend. That remained with him, in Entar's memories. There was no reason even to open it.

«_There should be a chain_,» Entar prompted. An image of the item came with the thought.

«_I'll look_,» Daniel agreed. He opened the package carefully. The chain was in a clear plastic bag. A bracelet of simple links, made of a trinium-platinum alloy; Daniel remembered seeing it on Cleis' wrist. Cleis usually hid the chain beneath his clothing, but he never took it off. When the clasp broke — as it did frequently, for some reason — Cleis tied the links together with cotton until he had time to repair it properly.

A woman's face came into Daniel's mind: startling blue eyes marred by lines of stress, a tired smile, dark hair beginning to turn grey. The image was coupled with remembered anguish: pain, grief, guilt. And a name: Mira.

«_His wife_.»

The memories came faster. Love. Someone screaming. Anger. The face of a female Goa'uld. «_Entar...she died?_»

«_As punishment for Cleis' crime. It is the reason he agreed to be my host_.»

Daniel found tears in his eyes, but the emotion, as intense as it was, was not his. He recognised that, this time. It didn't help much that Cleis' loss touched his own guilt over what happened to Sha're. Cleis' memories got tangled up with Daniel's own, and it was disorienting.

Without thinking, he slipped the bracelet out of the bag and clasped it around his wrist, next to his watch. Then he put the rest of the package away in a drawer.

* * *

The familiar wave exploded from the stargate, filling the embarkation room with its eerie light. Daniel, waiting at the base of the ramp, watched as the wave receded into the shimmering event horizon. Memories crowded his mind; the last time he had stood here, like this: right before the mission that left him crippled. He found he was breathing unsteadily as he moved toward the ramp.

«_Behind you_.»

Daniel looked back over his shoulder, shifting the weight of the files he carried under his arm. In the control room above him, he saw Janet watching through the glass. He smiled for her, feeling better.

"Access code transmitted," a woman's voice confirmed. "You may leave when ready, Doctor Jackson."

He nodded an acknowledgment, holding Janet's eyes a moment longer. He turned away reluctantly, walking up the ramp. There was no reason for Daniel to be nervous of gate travel. He had done this hundreds of times...thousands, if he took Entar's experience into acount. He stepped through the event horizon and let the familiar cold of the wormhole take him.

There was an odd jolt as he stepped out on the other side of the wormhole...he had forgotten that feeling. He took a deep breath automatically, blinking to refocus his eyes. As his surroundings swam into focus Daniel became aware of a line of guns pointing his way. Before he could react to that, there was the welcome sound of Jack's voice barking an order to stand down. Daniel let his breath out, looking for Jack. His heart lifted a little at the sight of Jack's smile.

"Doctor Jackson, you're looking well."

Daniel returned the smile gratefully. "I'm good," he shrugged, trying to make it casual. The last time Jack saw him he had been in a wheelchair, struggling with chronic pain.

"This is official business?" Jack's eyes strayed to the paperwork Daniel carried with him. Most of the paperwork had nothing to do with Daniel's visit: he was just acting as courier.

"Yes," Daniel agreed. He glanced at the people around them uneasily. Half a dozen SFs, technicians...he couldn't tell Jack what he needed to say in front of all these people. "You should hear this in private, Jack," Daniel added.

Jack's smile faded. "My office, then. This way."

Jack walked slowly as he led Daniel from the gate room. Daniel suddenly realised Jack was moving slowly because of Daniel's injury. He began to feel nervous again. He had played this scene over and over in his imagination, but he still had no idea how Jack would react.

Jack's office was next to the gate room on the same level, separated from it by a screen of thick, one-way glass. Inside, the room was all the things he expected to see: a desk and chairs, all very neat and tidy, a US flag on display, a chart of some kind on the wall. There was also a comfortable couch and a low table in front of it, together with some other "homey" touches. When the SGA was established, Daniel had still been recovering, and he had missed a lot of the work that went into building this place. Looking around Jack's office, he was struck anew by the realisation that this..._all_ of this...had come from Earth through the stargate.

Closing the door behind them, Jack held out his hands for the papers, and Daniel handed over both folders with the loose papers on top. General Vidrine's written orders concerning Daniel's visit here were at the top of the collection.

Hastily, Daniel said, "I really need to talk to you, Jack."

"No problem," Jack agreed easily. He left the papers on his desk without looking at them and offered Daniel a seat on the couch. "What's on your mind, Daniel?" he asked, sitting beside him.

Daniel was glad he was sitting down. He took a deep breath. "A couple of weeks ago my old archaeology professor died," he began. "He had been working on a collection of artefacts from Egypt...all the details are in my report. Two of the artefacts contained live Goa'uld symbiots, in stasis. One of the archaeologists released a symbiot, and..."

"Let me guess."

"...And she became its host," Daniel confirmed Jack's thought. He swallowed. It was still hard to think about it. And now he had no choice but to go on. "Cleis and I tracked her down..." Daniel felt his throat constrict around the words.

«_Go on, my friend. I'm here_.»

«_Always_,» Daniel thought gratefully. He met his friend's eyes. "Jack, Cleis was killed..."

Jack's eyes shone with sympathy. "Oh, Daniel, I'm sorry. I know you two were close."

"We were." He swallowed again, reaching inside for Entar's courage, as if his own would fail. "Jack...what I'm trying to tell you is...when Cleis died, I...I became Entar's host."

Jack stiffened. "You _what_?"

"I became..." Daniel began, knowing the repetition was unnecessary.

"I heard you!" Jack shot to his feet. "You're telling me you've got one of those snakes in your head?"

Daniel winced at the phrase. There was no point in getting angry; he had known Jack wouldn't take this well. So he took a deep breath, and answered simply, "Yes."

Jack did not reply. He went to his desk and picked up the phone. "Security in my office," he snapped.

"Jack, that's not..."

"Quiet! And stay put!"

Daniel knew _that_ tone of old. He instinctively obeyed Jack's order, watching silently as the colonel picked up she sheet bearing General Vidrine's orders.

Jack read the page, glancing up once to give Daniel a sharp look as he encountered the order which Daniel knew related to him. Jack lifted the phone again just as a knock on the door announced the arrival of two SFs. He told them to wait with a gesture and spoke into the phone. "Carter, call your team into the briefing room. Your mission for today just got changed...no, I'll give the survey to another team. ASAP, Major. ...Thank you."

He turned to the SFs. "Escort Doctor Jackson to the infirmary. Warner will be expecting you. Stay with him until you hear from me, or Major Carter. No one else."

"Jack..." Daniel tried again.

"Daniel, I don't want to hear it!" Jack cut him off. To the SFs he said curtly, "Carry out your orders."

"Yes, Sir. This way, Doctor Jackson."

Daniel had no choice but to go with them.

«_He's angry with you. Why?_»

«_Search me. I know Jack isn't fond of the Tok'Ra, but we're friends. He wasn't like this with Sam's father_.»

«_Give him time. Today we have to focus on our mission_.»

Daniel agreed with Entar about that.

So in the infirmary, he didn't argue with Doctor Warner. He sat through the pointless tests, letting Warner have his blood samples and ultrasounds. Daniel was angry; he knew this was Jack's doing. He wanted to refuse the MRI: it was only going to show what they already knew, but with Entar helping to cool his temper Daniel submitted, if ungracefully. When Warner was done, he sat on an infirmary bed and waited.

Daniel didn't wait for long. He saw Sam coming and jumped down from the bed, moving to greet her. "Hello, Sam," he offered, wondering how she would react...and what Jack had told her.

"Daniel," she answered, her expression neutral. "I'm sorry to hear about Cleis."

It was the last thing he had expected her to say. Daniel relaxed gratefully. "Thank you. I take it Jack told you..."

"That you're Entar's host now? Yes, he did." She grinned suddenly, the expression wiped away almost at once. "Though the colonel put it more colourfully than that."

"I'll bet he did," Daniel smiled wryly.

Silence fell between them and Daniel began to feel awkward. "Uh...Sam..."

"The colonel said you're not to move around the base unescorted, but I'm good enough as an escort. Would you like the five cent tour?"

"I'd love it."

Sam dismissed the two SFs, checked with Doctor Warner and led Daniel from the infirmary. "What happened to Cleis?" Sam asked him as they walked.

Sam and Cleis had lived through the plague on Earth together. Daniel, with the benefit of Entar's memories, knew how hard those days had been for both of them, and understood the bond they shared as a result. It made the answer he had to give even more frustrating. "Sam, until I get new orders, that's classified. Jack knows the details, or he will when he reads the report. I think you need to know. But things are dicey for me right now. I can't tell you."

"You don't have to apologise, Daniel. I know how it works."

"Yeah. I'm not happy about the orders, though."

She stopped before a heavy door. "Ready for this?" Sam grinned. She opened the door and they stepped out.

Bright sunlight streamed down on a green meadow, gently sloping away from them. About a mile away, a river flowed, cutting the landscape in two. Beyond the river Daniel saw cultivated fields, and there were mountains in the distance. He could hear the wind in the grass, and insects chattering, and another sound he couldn't quite identify until he focussed on the mountains and saw the waterfall. It was huge, easily dwarfing anything similar on Earth. That was the sound: the distant roar of water.

Daniel caught his breath. "Wow."

"I knew you'd like it."

"It's incredible!"

"We get most of our power from the waterfall; that's why we chose this location for the base. We moved the stargate from another continent. Come on..." Sam led him down toward the river. "We still get supplies from Earth, but the SGA can be completely self-sufficient if needed." Her words had a familiar rhythm; this was a speech she had given before. "We farm most of our own food now and the river supplies our water...we have to filter out some impurities for drinking but the river water is clean enough to use unprocessed for everything else. We have power from the waterfall and solar power, with naqadah reactors as backup."

"You're really proud of this place," Daniel commented.

"Yes," she smiled, and Daniel remembered that Sam practically built it. She had had been a major influence on the design and engineering of the base.

"You should be," he agreed. "It's magnificent." The ground beneath their feet was soft, the grass fairly long. Daniel guessed they were in a climate much like New Zealand on Earth: plenty of rainfall and temperate.

"How long ago did Cleis die?" Sam asked him, breaking into his thoughts. "Are you allowed to tell me that?"

Daniel nodded. "Nine days." He closed his eyes briefly, still feeling the loss.

"And are you...okay?" Sam's question was uncharacteristically hesitant.

Daniel stopped walking and looked at her. The sun was on her face, lighting her blue eyes, and the breeze played with her hair. Daniel saw concern in her eyes, and understood what she was asking. "You are an incredible woman, Sam."

She smiled, but looked puzzled. "Daniel?"

"I mean it. You led us into the alliance with the Tok'Ra, and I know you've been a strong supporter of our working together. With Jack as your CO, that can't have been easy. And after what Jolinar did to you..."

"Jolinar wasn't..."

"Hey." Daniel hadn't intended to bring that up, but it was too late to take the words back. He reached out, touching her arm briefly. "Don't give me the good soldier line, okay? I know what you went through. I was there, remember?" He tapped his forehead. "And I know what she did to you. I know, Sam." He smiled, trying to soften the words. "The answer to your question is yes. I'm fine." He met her eyes answering as honestly as he could. "I've had some bad moments...but Entar is a good teacher."

"No regrets?"

"Oh, Sam, is that what this is about? No, none." They began to walk again.

"Are you sure?"

Daniel was sure. "Yes. I was scared to death of this, but it's nothing like I imagined. Look at me, Sam. I got a good deal out of this, and the price isn't that high." But as he spoke, he remembered the ice in Jack's eyes. "Except," he amended, "I think I've lost a friendship."

"The colonel?"

Daniel nodded unhappily. They sat down near the riverbank. Daniel looked down at the water: it was very clean, and looked deep enough for swimming. He saw a flash of silver, a fish. This truly was an Eden.

Sam said, "The Colonel's feelings about the Tok'Ra are well known. It's not a disadvantage to us, here. He does respect the treaty; he's suspicious, that's all. This facility is the front line: suspicion is good, even among friends. Except sometimes..." The apology went unspoken.

"You don't have to say it, Sam." He tilted his head back, enjoying the sunlight. "How long is it going to take Jack to decide to follow orders? I have to reach Vorash today."

"Are you...um..."

"Am I planning to stay there?" Daniel waited for Sam to confirm his guess before answering. "Not this time, at least. I suppose ultimately I will. It's not really my decision." He would have a say, but Entar was loyal to the Tok'Ra High Council. If the Tok'Ra decided he was needed, Daniel knew they would both obey. But Sam's question made him think. "You know, General Vidrine gave me strict orders to return to Earth. But I think he'd be relieved if I disobeyed. He likes his regs neat and tidy. I've messed it up a little."

"How so?"

"Entar has ambassadorial status at the SGC. You know, diplomatic immunity and all that. But I'm an American citizen. Apparently I can't be both. I didn't even think of that until the general brought it up." He sighed. It was one more complication in his life, and suddenly he realised his guess was correct: it would be easier for everyone concerned if he didn't return to Earth.

Daniel looked back at the SGA Command Centre and saw the living quarters beyond, too. "I still can't believe how much you've built here. It's amazing."

"Our home away from home. We don't get to return to Earth much." Sam gazed out over the landscape as she spoke, and Daniel heard the depth of longing in her voice. "Sometimes it helps to be in beautiful surroundings," she added.

"I never knew you were such a romantic," Daniel teased, hoping to lighten her mood.

"I'm not!" she protested, then caught his eye and laughed. "I've missed you, Daniel." Her eyes were still laughing when she changed the subject again. "How is Janet handling this?"

"Janet was...shocked," Daniel admitted. "I don't know what else to say about it. I know it will change things, but I think we'll be okay. It's still very new, Sam." He fell silent for a moment, remembering the night he spent with Janet. They would be okay. "Enough about me. Tell me how you've been."

They talked for a while, Sam telling Daniel about life at the SGA and about the latest project she was working on. They were eventually interrupted by Lieutenant Simmons, who told Sam Colonel O'Neill wanted to see them both.

"Let's go," Sam said at once. To Simmons she added, "We'll probably be shipping out right away. I'll meet you in the gate room."

She set a quick pace as they returned to the command centre. "I want to pass by my lab before we see the colonel; if I know him I won't have time after."

"Sure," Daniel agreed easily.

Sam's "lab" was a room much larger than she'd had available to her at Cheyenne Mountain. While Sam hurriedly adjusted the settings on...some experiment Daniel didn't recognise, he cast his eyes over the other things she was working on. Entar's knowledge augmented his own and he was able to recognise most of it: a naqadah reactor (Sam's baby, Daniel knew), a staff weapon that had been dismantled, the device Jack had built under the influence of the Ancients, and...

"Sam, is that...?"

Sam looked up. "The mirror from P3R-233," she confirmed.

"What's it doing here?"

"The control device is damaged. I've been trying to repair it." She finished whatever she was doing. "Okay, I'm done."

They hurried to Jack's office then. Daniel wanted desperately to talk to Jack, but he wasn't given a chance.

Sam spoke first. "My team is ready, sir."

"Carter, you are to escort Doctor Jackson to Vorash, and you will ensure he returns to this facility within seventy two hours." It was the exact letter of Vidrine's orders, Daniel realised...with Jack's own twist in the phrasing.

"Understood, sir."

Daniel couldn't leave it like that. "Jack..." he began.

"Don't waste my time, Daniel," Jack told him. "You're dismissed."

«_I guess I am_.»

* * *

Daniel was shocked by Jack's response to him. He had known Jack wouldn't be thrilled by his decision, but this was worse than anything he had imagined. As he walked to the stargate with Sam and SG-1, Daniel pushed all thoughts of Jack out of his mind. He couldn't think about it. His mission to Vorash was too important for distractions.

From the Vorash stargate, transport rings took them down into the Tok'Ra tunnels. Travelling by stargate had always been something Daniel enjoyed: he had never quite lost the sense of wonder he felt the first time he stepped through the gate. But those transport rings were something else, something indelibly associated in Daniel's mind with Ra's casual cruelty, and with the horrifying moments on Abydos when he had been sure that he, and Jack and everyone else was about to die in one huge mushroom cloud. He had never learned to suppress the rush of fear he felt every time transport rings surrounded him.

Until now. Entar's presence calmed him; the rings were commonplace to him. The Tok'Ra tunnels, too, felt very familiar. Once within the tunnels, Daniel surrendered control of his body to Entar. It was the easiest way for both of them.

They were met by Anise. Daniel had met her briefly at the treaty summit on Earth, but of course Entar was more familiar with her. He approached her without hesitation, noting her frown when she sensed his presence within Daniel's body. "Hello, Anise," he said quickly. "I am Entar."

The frown smoothed out and her eyes widened slightly. "Entar? What happened to Cleis?"

Entar appreciated her directness. He cast a glance at Sam, who was still at his side, then answered. "Cleis was killed by Osiris."

«_Entar! Need to know, remember?_» Telling the Tok'Ra was one thing, but Daniel hadn't been able to tell Sam...and Entar had deliberately spoken in front of her.

«_I am not under Vidrine's command, my friend, and the Tok'Ra need to know_.»

"I must speak with the High Council at once, Anise."

Daniel half-expected her to argue, but Anise nodded. "This way."

Entar waited in the Council chamber for the rest of the council members to arrive. The High Council was made up of seven Tok'Ra, and their hosts, but it was unusual for all of the Council to be present at any meeting. Today, only four were on Vorash. Entar did not have to wait for long.

Daniel had expected to be no more than an observer in this meeting, but he was surprised. When High Councillor Per'sus entered the chamber, it was Daniel, not Entar, he singled out.

"I'm happy to see you again, Daniel Jackson. Perhaps we can talk later?"

"Yes, of course," Daniel agreed, taken aback. He knew Per'sus had complimented his work on the treaty, but hadn't expected to be remembered. Suddenly he felt much better, though he hadn't been consciously aware of his tension.

«_I was aware_.»

«_Yes, well, you've had more practice at this_.» Per'sus was the last to arrive, so Daniel gave Entar control again. That got easier every time.

Entar's report of Osiris' escape from Earth was brief and bluntly given. Most of the Tok'Ra knew little of Osiris: his imprisonment had been before Entar's time, and Entar was twice the age of any of Egeria's spawn. The news worried all of them. To Daniel, witnessing their consternation, it provided an unexpected insight into the Tok'Ra: they were careful to show a certain face to outsiders, but among themselves the façade was abandoned.

«_They're not Goa'uld, but they have more in common than the Tok'Ra want to believe_.»

«_Much more_,» Entar agreed. «_But sharing that opinion might not be...diplomatic_.»

«_Do you really think I would betray you, Entar?_»

Entar's answer was a wave of love and trust, no words.

"How long ago did Osiris leave Earth?" The question came from woman Daniel didn't recognise.

«_That's Ren'al. One of the greatest warriors of the Tok'Ra_.»

«_And her host_?»

«_Nadia. She rarely speaks for herself_.»

"It was nine days ago," Entar answered, addressing his words to Ren'al directly.

"And Isis?"

"Dead. Osiris may not know that."

"I am disturbed by this news. Too much is changing in the Empire."

«_And I'm disturbed by **that** news_.» "What don't I know?" Entar demanded.

It was Per'sus who answered. "Yu lost two Ha'tak in battle some days ago. He believes Cronos is responsible; however we have operatives in Cronos' court. He was not involved."

"Then who was?"

"We don't know. It couldn't have been Osiris, not so soon."

«_Entar...before this gets off track..._»

«_I know_.»

"There is one other thing. A personal request."

Ren'al began to speak, but Per'sus interrupted her. "What is your request, Entar?"

"The woman Osiris took as a host is named Sarah. She knew nothing of the Goa'uld, and she's someone important to my host. If it is possible, I want Osiris taken alive, so we may attempt to save the host."

"You're asking the impossible, Entar," Ren'al told him.

«_That was predictable_.» Entar's thought was heavy with sarcasm. "I am not," he argued. "I know what I'm asking, Ren'al. I don't want any of us to take unnecessary risks. Unlike most Goa'uld hosts, Sarah is young and at this time it is still possible to save her. All I ask is that the Tok'Ra be aware of that."

«_That's not enough, Entar_.»

Garshaw — another Tok'Ra Daniel recognised — silenced Ren'al with a gesture. "Given our treaty with Earth, it's not an unreasonable request, but you must know it's unlikely we can help her."

«_Entar, let me_.»

«_All yours, my friend_.»

Abruptly, Daniel found himself back in control. He turned to Garshaw. She had Teal'c's respect, he remembered, hoping that was a good sign. "Garshaw, I know better than most how unlikely it is. This isn't the first time I've lost someone I care about to the Goa'uld. As Entar said, I'm not asking anyone to put themselves in danger. My people can't help Sarah, but the Tok'Ra have resources we don't. I couldn't forgive myself if I didn't ask you to try."

Her dark eyes softened as she met Daniel's gaze. "We will do what we can for her, Daniel."

After that, the discussion went on for some time. Daniel stayed quiet, observing. There was something between Entar and Ren'al. Hostility?

«_Of a sort. Ren'al is a purist_.» The concepts came to Daniel with the words: Entar was a former Goa'uld, not spawn of Egeria, so there was an undercurrent of something that wasn't mistrust so much as it was discomfort. A definite barrier between them.

There was no such undercurrent from Per'sus. He spoke to both Entar and Daniel with warmth as well as respect.

«_We are friends, and he likes you. He was pleased you refused to compromise on the treaty_.»

«_Really?_» Daniel had gained the opposite impression.

«_You have to know him. There will be time for you to learn. Per'sus is very loyal to his friends_.»

«_And Garshaw?_»

«_Extremely dedicated to the cause. She'll want to test you...us_.»

The fourth member of the Council was an elderly woman. Her host, Illyana, did all of the talking; Daniel didn't hear her symbiot speak at all. «_They are so closely blended there is no difference_,» Entar explained. His thought was sad.

«_Why is that a bad thing?_»

«_It will be hard for Corva to take another host when it is time. Her new host will suffer for it_.»

That gave Daniel something to think about. He clearly had a lot to learn about all this.

As the meeting broke up, Per'sus approached Daniel. "Let me show you to some quarters," he offered.

"Thank you," Daniel said uncertainly. The offer wasn't necessary and Per'sus knew it: Daniel hadn't been to the Vorash base before, but Entar had. Daniel was still unsure why he had been singled out by Per'sus, especially if he and Entar were friends.

«_Don't be intimidated by him. He's flesh and blood, just like you and I_.»

Flesh and blood he might be but Per'sus was a commanding presence. It took a conscious effort to dispel his effortless charisma. There was a reason Per'sus was the unchallenged leader of the Tok'Ra High Council.

They walked through the familiar tunnels. Only when they were out of earshot of everyone else did Per'sus speak. "I am grateful you chose to be host to Entar. Few of your people would have done so."

«_So that's what this is about?_»

«_Perhaps._»

Daniel remembered Garshaw's reaction to SG-1 when none of them had been willing to become a host to Selmak. She had taken their refusal very personally, without even considering their reasons. Daniel understood her reaction, but he couldn't sympathise with it. Was Per'sus judging all of Earth by her standard?

"Earth isn't a unified nation," he tried to explain. "At the moment, our stargate program is in the hands of the American people, and we are taught to cherish individuality, and independence. The idea of sharing our lives so completely with another being is...I don't know. Alien. Frightening. Maybe abhorrent, for some. For those of us who know of the Goa'uld, it's not easy to understand how different the Tok'Ra are."

Per'sus nodded gravely. "But you understood."

"I understand now," Daniel corrected him. "I had no ambition to be a host, Per'sus. I acted to save my friend's life, without really considering the consequences. Now I understand what Entar is...what you all are."

"What are your plans?"

«_I'm getting tired of that question_.»

«_Me, too_.»

"In the short term, I'm going back to Earth. I have a life there I'm not ready to leave yet and Entar thinks his role as ambassador is too important to give up. But the Tok'Ra can call on us any time you need."

"You'll remain a few days, Daniel? Give yourself a chance to get used to who you are now."

"A few days," Daniel agreed, conscious of his orders to return to Earth.

«_They can't hold us to that, whatever Colonel O'Neill thinks_.»

«_But insubordination isn't the best way to get Jack to see the truth._» Daniel smiled to himself. «_It took me long enough to learn that_.»

"For the immediate future, I agree that you and Entar can be most useful to us on Earth. From what you've said, your people will need some time to adjust to the change. However, you must understand that Entar was nominated as our ambassador because his host was so old; it made him unsuitable for most of our work. Daniel, is it your wish to be an active member of the Tok'Ra?"

It was a loaded question. "Per'sus, the Goa'uld stole my wife from me. I want them defeated every bit as much as you do." He wasn't — quite — answering the question.

Per'sus smiled. "I never doubted it."

They stopped walking outside an open room. «_The Tok'Ra don't use barriers or doors_,» Daniel remembered.

«_We don't have a custom of privacy the way your people do. You won't be uncomfortable_.»

"These are Entar's quarters, Daniel. Your friends from Earth will be lodged near the primary ring room, if you wish to join them later."

"Thank you."

"I know Entar will have told you this already, but please consider this your home, just as much as Earth."

It was such a contrast to the "welcome" he got from Jack, Daniel couldn't help smiling back warmly. "I already do," he said truthfully.


	14. Coming Of Age

### A Year Later

Sam smiled warmly. "Daniel. It's so good to see you."

Daniel returned her smile with equal warmth, opening his arms as he stepped toward her. He held her close for a moment. "It's good to see you, too. When you told us the conference was going on for an extra day we thought you'd miss the party." He moved back out of the doorway so she could enter.

"Did you think I'd miss Cassie's sixteenth birthday? I had to call a favour or two, but they didn't really need me there today." Sam closed the door behind her and paused, hearing Cassandra's raised voice from within the house. "She doesn't sound happy."

Daniel grimaced. "Yeah, it's just like having a teenager in the house."

Sam laughed.

"Cassie knew Janet was planning this party," Daniel explained, "and she made plans to go out with some friends anyway. Let me take your coat." He hung Sam's coat in the closet. "Personally, I think 'friends' means 'date' in this case. But Cassie's just getting over a bout of flu and Jan doesn't want her going out at all."

Beneath the coat Sam wore a tailored shirt and pants that showed off her athletic body beautifully. Daniel gave her a teasing grin. "Speaking of dates..."

"No such luck, I'm afraid. It was this or dress blues."

"Well, I approve."

Sam didn't smile back. She looked faintly puzzled. "You have changed, haven't you?"

Daniel's happy mood faded. "You, too?" he asked. "Of course I've changed, Sam. Haven't we all?"

"I didn't mean Entar." She grinned suddenly. "What on Earth happened to your hair?"

Daniel forced a smile, raising a hand unconsciously to push his hair back. It was very long now, falling below his shoulders. At the SGC he made some effort to keep his hair neat, tied back at the nape of his neck, but off the base he preferred to wear it loose. "Entar likes it long," he told Sam. He was willing admit as much to her; not many others knew — or thought to ask — whose idea that particular change was. "I didn't really have a preference, so it was easy enough to let him have his way."

"See: big changes," Sam smirked.

Daniel made an effort to shake off his mood. "Yeah, the fate of the galaxy rests on my haircut." His smile was genuine now. "Let's go break up the fight, shall we?" He opened the kitchen door and Cassie's voice fell silent as she and Janet turned to look their way.

"Sam!" Cassie cried.

It was amazing how quickly her emotions could change, Daniel reflected. One moment she was in the middle of an argument the next she was all smiles. He couldn't love her more if she were his own daughter, but oh, she could be hard work sometimes. He met Janet's eyes with a wry smile and knew she was thinking the same thing.

Sam handed Cassie a birthday gift and they all watched her begin to unwrap it. Daniel moved to put an arm around Janet and felt his mood lighten as she leaned into him. Then the doorbell rang again.

"I'll go," Daniel offered again, but Cassie dropped the half-unwrapped gift and made for the door before Daniel could move.

He followed her into the hallway. Whatever plans she had made, he wasn't going to let her leave until Janet okayed it. He caught a glimpse of the boy at the door and called after her. "Cassie. Five minutes, okay?"

Her impatient look was all the reply he got. Daniel turned back toward the kitchen. He heard Sam's voice and caught his name. He hesitated, not listening in, but wondering if he should give the two women some time to catch up.

The lights flickered around him. He frowned, making a mental note to call an electrician. That had been happening a little too often recently. Then...

The sound echoed through the house. It could have been an explosion, or a gunshot. «_What the hell was that?_» Daniel was already running when he heard the boy call out Cassandra's name. He yanked the door open and saw her lying on the ground. It was too dark to tell if there was blood. "Janet!" he shouted. "What happened?" He knelt beside her, checking her breathing. "Cassie?"

"I don't know," the boy told him, panic threading through his voice. "She fell."

"What was she doing when she fell?" Janet demanded.

Daniel looked up, relieved to see her. "I think she's okay," he said quietly. He stood, giving Janet room. Why was it so dark out here? He glanced up to where the light should be.

The boy — Dominic — stammered out a reply to Janet's question. "I...I don't know. I kissed her, and — "

"You kissed her!" Sam interrupted.

"Sam, she's sixteen," Daniel interjected reasonably, but it was too late. Dominic was already backing off. Daniel followed him, placing himself in Dominic's path. "No one is going to blame you," he told him. "Cassie's been sick, we know that. But we need to know what happened."

"She just fell! Or...or fainted. I don't know."

"She didn't seem ill, or say anything to you?"

"No."

"Thank you." Daniel turned back to Janet. "Is she okay?"

"No. I think we should get her to the hospital."

«_No, to the SGC. Look at the light bulb, my friend_.»

Daniel did. "Janet, I think the infirmary would be better."

"That's further away," Sam pointed out.

"I know. But flu doesn't explode light bulbs." Daniel pointed upwards.

* * *

Daniel was leaning against the infirmary wall, watching Sam and Cassie chatting away. Sam sat on the edge of Cassie's bed, conveniently blocking the girl's view of the monitors surrounding her. Cassandra's symptoms suggested flu, but Daniel knew there was more to this illness. He saw the monitor beside her flicker again. Yeah, like that. Something about her illness was disrupting the electrical fields around her.

"Entar," Janet called softly.

Daniel gave control of his body to his symbiot. Entar moved quickly to Janet's side. She was leaning over the electron-microscope.

"Entar, take a look at this."

Entar put his eye to the microscope and looked at the blood sample. He saw the virus immediately. Daniel felt his concern, seeing through his eyes. «_Entar, what is that?_»

«_The question, my friend, is not 'what'. It is where did it come from_.» Entar straightened, looking at Janet. "There was no sign of this before?"

"None," Janet confirmed tensely. "Entar, you know more about these things than I do."

Entar took her hand in his. He loved Janet, too. Not in the same way Daniel did, but their emotions were never entirely separate. "I wish I could say what you want to hear. The retrovirus is mutating her cells. For what purpose, I don't know."

"Can you stop it?"

"Give me some time to study this."

«_It's Goa'uld, isn't it?_»

«_I believe so, my friend_.»

"Janet!" Sam called. She was standing over Cassie, who was struggling weakly to throw off the sheet covering her.

Janet hurried over, stroking Cassie's cheek gently. "What's wrong, honey? I'm here, it's okay."

Cassie relaxed under Janet's touch. "...home," she muttered.

"She was saying she wants to go home," Sam explained.

"I'm here," Janet said again, her hands still calming the girl. "I'm not going anywhere, Cassie, but we can't go home while you're sick."

"No!" Cassie protested, trying to get up again. "I have to go home. Not the house. Home. My home."

"Do you mean your planet?" Sam asked her. She looked up at Daniel sharply. "Could the Goa'uld be behind this?" she demanded.

The Goa'uld? No...just one Goa'uld. Nirrti. The image of Nirrti's face rose in his mind, but it wasn't an image from his own memory. Daniel closed his eyes, fighting the emotion suddenly flooding through him: Entar's reaction to Nirrti's name. «_Entar?_»

It was an old memory from Daniel's perspective, a relatively recent one to Entar. A memory of a mission gone bad, of months of captivity. Torture. By Nirrti's hand.

«_Don't go there, my friend_.»

«_I really don't want to_.» Daniel had to make a conscious effort not to chase the memories, now he knew they were there. Questions filled his mind against his will, questions he couldn't ignore, no matter how hard he tried. Entar's emotion was too intense. Daniel looked at Janet, forcing himself to focus on the immediate issue.

«_The answer will be back on her world of origin_,» Entar prompted.

Daniel laid a hand gently on Janet's shoulder. "If Cassie wants to go home, she probably remembers this happening to others there. I'm going to dig out the records of our missions to Hanka; see what I can find there."

* * *

Daniel was last into the briefing room, again. He apologised for his lateness and slid the tape he carried into the VCR. "If I may?" he asked the general.

Vidrine nodded.

"Thank you." Daniel started the film running. "I found this among the reports of SG-7's original mission to Hanka — Cassandra's native planet." He kept his eyes on Janet as the video played. It would not be easy for her to see this. It hadn't been easy for him to watch a child suffer convulsions and wonder if this was the fate that awaited Cassandra. He saw Janet swallow hard, her eyes on the screen.

"The villagers called this condition 'mind-fire'," Daniel explained. "Apparently it was quite common among their children." He stopped the tape. "There's more, but...you get the idea." Janet looked distressed enough. "The sample Janet took of Cassandra's blood revealed the presence of a retro-virus...has Janet told you all that?"

Janet nodded, just as General Vidrine said, "I think she covered everything."

"Uh...not quite. What I didn't tell Janet earlier is Entar recognised the construction of the retro-virus. He believes it's of Goa'uld origin, though I want to emphasise that it's not contagious. The retrovirus is built into Cassie's genes. It's no threat to the rest of us."

"Which Goa'uld did this to her?" Sam demanded. "Nirrti?"

"That's my guess, too," Daniel told her. "Nirrti is the Goa'uld who claimed the territory that included Hanka. She released a disease on Hanka that killed everyone on the planet, except Cassandra."

"And you think she is responsible for the girl's illness?" Vidrine queried impatiently.

"Well, the retro-virus in Cassie's system clearly affected others on the planet. When they encountered the 'mind-fire', SG-7 offered medical assistance to the people of Hanka but their help was refused. The mind-fire was considered some sort of a rite of passage for the children. They were sent into the forest, alone. They would remain there overnight and then return home. Cured."

"How?" Sam asked.

"Cassandra talked about going to the forest," Janet said thoughtfully.

"Daniel, are you suggesting Nirrti cured those children?" Sam asked sceptically.

Daniel shook his head. "I don't know. If she did, it won't help Cassie. Nirrti has been a prisoner of the system lords since she tried to kill Cronos. However..." he glanced at Janet briefly, then turned his eyes to the general, "...what we do know for sure is something in the forest cured those children. With your permission, General, I would like to visit Hanka again. I believe we'll find the answers there."

"Doctor Jackson, I understand your concern for the child, but..."

"I am concerned about Cassie, but it's more than that, General," Daniel interrupted before Janet could. "This is a Goa'uld-created retrovirus. It has some purpose. I think we should find out what that is."

«_Let me speak to him_.»

Entar said, "General Vidrine, I will not deny that Daniel, Doctor Fraiser and indeed Major Carter as well have personal reasons for wanting Cassandra to recover. There is a larger picture here. None of these people would make such a request for solely personal reasons."

"Everyone on that planet was wiped out by a plague created by the Goa'uld. Would it be safe to send a team?"

"The disease Nirrti used to eliminate the people of Hanka is well known to the Tok'Ra. The Goa'uld use it to destroy a population while leaving any structures and technology intact. The disease is airborne but dissipates from the atmosphere within months. It has been several years. The planet will be completely safe."

"Sir," Sam spoke up immediately. "I'll volunteer to lead a team to investigate. Though..." she shifted her gaze to Daniel, "...I would prefer to take my own team. Daniel, I think we can identify what it is you're looking for, and you're needed here. If we draw a blank on Hanka, Entar's experience might be Cassandra's best hope."

«_She is right, my friend. We should be working on a way to neutralise this retro-virus_.»

«_Agreed_.»

Entar nodded an assent, his eyes on General Vidrine.

"Agreed," Vidrine announced. "Major Carter, return to the SGA immediately, brief Colonel O'Neill and see what you can find. Entar?"

"I will remain as Major Carter suggests and continue to work with Doctor Fraiser." It wasn't what Daniel wanted to do, but he saw the sense in it. Then as Entar met Janet's eyes across the table and Daniel saw her relief, he knew it was the right decision.

He would have to trust Sam and her team not to miss anything on Cassandra's planet.

* * *

  


### Four hours later

"Cassie! Cassie, please!" Janet held the struggling girl firmly.

Daniel held back. He was more than strong enough to restrain Cassie, if he had to, but he was too strong. He didn't want to hurt her.

He and Janet were working in a laboratory near the infirmary when an alarm interrupted them and the tannoy summoned Janet back to the infirmary. They found Cassie in the corridor outside. She was holding onto the wall, moving slowly along the corridor. While clearly weak, she moved with some determination. When Janet tried to stop her, Cassie screamed that she was going home and fought against Janet.

Janet's eyes met his and Daniel moved in reluctantly. He caught Cassie's shoulders and held her firmly. "Cassie, Sam's gone to your planet. If she finds anything there that can help you..."

Cassie wrenched away from his hold. "You're killing me! Don't you understand? You're killing me!"

The lights around them exploded. Daniel looked up, shocked, as an alarm began to blare. He had felt the power of that one himself.

«_Her body is generating electro-magnetic energy, but she can't control it_.»

"Cassie!" Janet cried.

Daniel caught the girl as she collapsed. Her skin felt unnaturally hot. He lifted her easily in his arms. "She's alright, Janet. For now, anyway."

"Let's get her back to the infirmary."

"I don't think that's a good idea. The EM field her body is generating is getting more powerful. Don't tell me you didn't feel that."

Janet frowned. "No, I...yes, I felt something. Like static."

"Maybe Entar makes me more sensitive. My point is there's a lot of electrical equipment in the infirmary. Taking her there could be dangerous. The isolation rooms are shielded, aren't they?"

"Yes."

"So I'll carry her there. Do you have something to bring her temperature down?"

"Of course."

"Bring that and we'll get her settled. I have an idea."

* * *

The use of the Go'auld healing device required General Vidrine's consent, but he gave it readily. Daniel hadn't suggested it earlier because he didn't expect it to work. The device was designed to work with a symbiot, whether for a Goa'uld host or a Jaffa. It would heal gross injuries in an unblended human: something like a broken bone or lacerations, but this was a virus. Something that affected the body on a cellular level would be very difficult to heal using that device.

Cassandra was so ill now, Daniel was ready to try anything. He didn't expect to be able to cure her, but perhaps he could strengthen her body's ability to fight it. He looked down at her as he slid the device onto his hand. Cassie was unconscious again, which seemed to reduce the intensity of the EM field she was generating. It spiked when she panicked in the corridor — that suggested it was tied to her emotions, which in turn suggested she might be able to control it. If she had time to learn.

«_She won't need to control it, my friend. We're going to find a cure_.»

Entar's words were reassuring, but Daniel knew he was far from confident. «_Can you help me use this?_»

«_Of course_.»

Daniel raised the device, meeting Janet's eyes over the bed. She nodded, giving him permission to try.

Daniel knew how to do this. Like so much of the knowledge he had from Entar, it was a little disorienting to know something he had no memory of actually learning. «_Don't let me make any mistakes, Entar_,» he sent, and felt Entar's assent in response.

According to his memories, it should have been easy. The device was powerful, and it guided him as much as he directed it. Entar helped him. But it wasn't enough. Through the device, Daniel could feel exactly what was wrong inside Cassandra's body. He could even see a possible way to fix it. But the device he held wasn't capable of such precision. There was nothing he could do.

«_Maybe you should try this, Entar_.»

«_I can do no more than you are. If Nirrti truly did cure those children on Hanka, she did not use this device to do it_.»

Defeated, Daniel turned the device off. He looked up at Janet, shaking his head. "I'm sorry."

Cassie stirred and both of them turned their attention to her. Janet stroked Cassie's hair as the girl opened her eyes.

"Are you feeling okay, honey?" She nodded, whispering a yes and Janet smiled. "Thank you," she said quietly to Daniel.

He set the hand device aside. "It's not a cure, Janet. I tried, but I couldn't do that much." He had bought them some time. Time enough for SG-1 to get back, he hoped.

Cassie looked up, her blue eyes meeting his. "You don't know how, do you?" she asked calmly.

Daniel swallowed. "Not yet."

"Then stop trying. Let it happen."

Janet drew in her breath sharply. "You don't mean that!"

Still calm, Cassie turned to Janet. "I do. Something is happening...I'm becoming. I want it to happen."

"It seems exciting, doesn't it?" Daniel said softly. He understood. He remembered that feeling. The same thing he felt using the sarcophagus. Knowing it was changing him, making him stronger...powerful. It had nearly killed him.

He took Cassie's hand in his. "You know you're different now. Special. It feels good, doesn't it?"

She nodded slowly.

"And you resent that we want to take that away from you."

Another nod.

"But you know Jan and I only want what's best for you. These changes are dangerous, Cassie. They're going to kill you."

"Maybe...maybe it's supposed to. Maybe that's part of it."

Daniel nodded. "I'm sure it is," he told her, making his voice as harsh as he could. "This is Nirrti's work."

She stared at him, eyes wide, then closed her eyes, processing that information. "She killed everyone on my planet."

Janet answered her. "Yes, she did. But we're not going to let her kill you, honey. Now, I want you to listen to me. It's important that you fight this. I want you to fight."

Cassie nodded, opening her eyes to look at them both. "I'll try."

* * *

A thick sheet of glass separated them from the isolation room below. Daniel held Janet close to him; they both needed the comfort. In the room below, Cassie lay on the bed, staring at a chess piece suspended in mid-air in front of her eyes. As Daniel watched, the chess piece began to turn in the air. It remained there, impossibly floating before her.

"Did you teach her that?" Janet asked him. Her voice was thick with tears.

Daniel forced a smile. "How could I? I talked to her about what's happening to her body. She just discovered she could do that. She says it helps."

Janet's hand sought his. "She keeps saying I'm not her mother."

Daniel squeezed her hand. "Children can be cruel. But perhaps there's a message there we should be listening to."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, this is all connected to Cassie's home planet. She was twelve years old when we found her. She'd been deeply traumatised, and at first she didn't remember anything before the days she spent alone. She's remembered since, though. She talks sometimes about things she remembers doing as a child, but I've noticed she never talks about the people she knew."

"You think she wants her real mother?" Janet asked, her voice breaking.

Oh, baby... "Jan, Cassie loves you. But this thing is drawing her home in a way we don't understand. Asking for her real mother is probably a reflection of that."

Janet leaned her head against his shoulder. "We're going to lose her, aren't we?"

Not if Daniel could help it! But it was becoming increasingly clear that he couldn't. "You're the doctor," he said evasively.

"Entar is a better doctor than I'll ever be," she replied.

"That's not true, you know. Entar understands the way the human body works, and he knows a lot about Goa'uld biotech, but he doesn't have your empathy or your creativity in medicine. He's a researcher, not a doctor. You are."

"But there's nothing I can do for her."

"I know." Daniel swallowed. "The healing device helped, but I hope Sam has found something." Daniel had spent hours in the lab, working with Janet and Entar. All they had learned was what they already knew. "I'm out of ideas, too," he confessed.

Janet turned away from the view of Cassie and looked up at him. "What about the Tok'Ra? Could they do something?"

"Like what?"

"I don't know! You have cryogenics, don't you? Or could you find a sarcophagus?"

"It wouldn't work. Stasis is only a way to delay the inevitable. And a sarcophagus...no."

"Daniel, I know how you feel about that, but if it could save her..."

"It couldn't. Janet, a sarcophagus creates a genetic template from the DNA of whoever or whatever is placed inside it, then repairs the body according to that template. This retrovirus is rewriting her DNA. I'm afraid a sarcophagus would just make her condition worse. It might even accelerate the transformation."

"So there's nothing we can do?"

"Just wait for Sam." And hope she would get back soon.

* * *

Daniel reached the gate room just as Teal'c stepped through. He smiled a greeting. Teal'c was carrying a large sealed crate. He hefted it as he came down the ramp, his eyes meeting Daniel's in silence. Daniel didn't need words; he read hope in his friend's eyes.

Teal'c was followed by Simmons and Wilson. Sam came through last, almost running down the ramp.

"How is she?" Sam asked breathlessly.

"Not good," Daniel answered honestly. "What did you find?"

"A lot," Sam answered. "There's a place in the forest where..."

As the stargate shut down, Daniel felt something. Something that shouldn't be there. «_Entar?_»

«_I felt it too, my friend, but no more_.»

"Sam," he interrupted her, "when you were on the planet, did you sense anything? Any presence?"

"You mean like a Goa'uld? No."

"What about now?"

"Are you kidding?" Sam frowned, but after a brief hesitation she answered the question seriously. "I'm aware of the naqadah in the things we brought back. I can sense Teal'c's symbiot if I concentrate, and I can feel Entar in you."

"But nothing else?" Daniel pressed.

"Of course not."

«_The naqadah in the crate may have obscured her sense of a symbiot._»

Speaking quietly, Daniel said, "I did. Just before the stargate shut down. A Goa'uld presence."

Sam grasped the implication immediately. "Nirrti?"

"I said a Goa'uld. Let's not jump to conclusions." He looked up at Teal'c. "Cassie is in isolation room four. Take whatever you have there, then join Sam. Sam, I'll brief the general, but I think you should break out the TERs and sweep the base at once. If it's Nirrti, we want her alive."

"Yes, sir!" Sam answered with a grin. She signalled to the others. "Wilson, go with Daniel to brief the general on what we found. Simmons, you're with me."

* * *

Janet was at the end of her endurance. Her daughter was dying, and there was nothing, nothing at all she could do for her. Anti-viral drugs, treatments to keep her body temperature down...she had tried everything she knew and Cassie was slipping away.

A number of Goa'uld artefacts were laid out on a workbench against the wall of the isolation room. Janet recognised none of them. Daniel was looking at them now, but he didn't seem optimistic. Of course, the news that there might be an invisible Goa'uld running around the base didn't help.

"It's an experiment!" Daniel announced suddenly.

"Daniel?"

"Nirrti believed the people of Hanka were mutating into a different form of human. The next evolutionary step. It's all here." He tapped the device in his hand. "She created the retrovirus to accelerate that process. That's why Cassie was generating EM energy: that ability is part of what Nirrti was hoping to create." Daniel looked up suddenly, meeting Janet's eyes. He looked troubled. "But that would mean Cassie is the end result of her work. My god...that's why she's here!"

"Then why is Cassie dying?" Janet demanded. She was sitting beside the bed, holding Cassie's hand. Her skin was cool, now, and the change frightened her. Her body was shutting down. Cassie probably didn't even know she was there.

"It's not a natural process. I haven't finished reading yet. Give me some time."

"Cassie doesn't have time," she snapped. Oh, god, she hadn't meant that. Daniel was doing his best.

Daniel turned to her, understanding in his eyes. "I know. I love her too, Jan."

"Daniel!" Sam appeared at a dead run. "Daniel, you were right, it was Nirrti."

"You've found her?"

"The general is with her now, in a holding cell." Sam paused to take a deep breath. "She says she can cure Cassie."

Janet's heart leapt.

Daniel's lips quirked in a cynical smile. "In exchange for?"

"A sample of her blood."

Daniel shook his head. "We can't. We daren't. If Nirrti gets her hands on Cassie's DNA she'll be able to complete her work. That will give her too much power."

"Daniel, please!" Janet stood, moving toward them.

Daniel looked at Cassandra's still body and closed his eyes. Then it was Entar who spoke. "I will not allow the girl to die, Janet. Major Carter, when you apprehended Nirrti, did she have a ribbon device?"

Sam nodded. "Yes, but..."

"Where is it?"

Sam hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "I'll get it for you."

Entar started to follow her. Janet leapt toward him, grabbing his arm. "What are you going to do? Daniel, you can't — "

"Doctor..." Entar began. His hand came up to touch her cheek, and suddenly it was Daniel again. Janet blinked. She wasn't sure she would ever get used to that. "Jan, trust me."

"What are you going to do?" she repeated.

He smiled suddenly, his teeth flashing white in the dimly lit room. "Something I learned from Sha're." He hurried after Sam.

Janet cast a look back at Cassie. She didn't have much time. _God, Daniel, I hope you know what you're doing._ For a moment she hesitated, torn between wanting to stay at her daughter's side and needing to know what was happening. She followed Daniel.

* * *

Daniel walked so quickly Janet was breathless by the time they reached the cells. The SFs on guard let them pass without question. Janet wasn't sure whether that was a good thing or not. Daniel — or Entar, she was no longer certain — looked so determined, and she had no idea what he meant to do. Something he learned from Sha're? But that didn't make any sense. Sha're had been a Goa'uld host the last time they met. What could he have learned from a Goa'uld except...

But if it would save Cassie...

God, she was still thinking like a doctor! Nirrti wasn't her patient! She was a Goa'uld, a monster. And she was the one responsible for Cassie's condition.

General Vidrine was just leaving Nirrti's cell when the three of them reached it, Sam having caught up with Daniel and Janet en route.

"Doctor Jackson, I was about to page you," the general began.

Daniel interrupted him. "Sam told me Nirrti's terms. I take it you refused her."

"What else could I do?"

"Nothing. But without the information only she has, Cassie will be dead within hours."

The words hit Janet like a blow. She had known it, but to hear it spoken aloud...that made it horribly real.

"General," Daniel was saying urgently, "Entar thinks there's another way. Let us see her, please."

"If there's another way why didn't you mention it before?"

"We didn't have Nirrti before. And we didn't have this." He raised his hand, showing the general that he wore Nirrti's ribbon device.

Bad move, Daniel, Janet thought. She saw the general's eyes narrow, his frown deepen.

"Doctor Jackson, I don't know how the Tok'ra treat their prisoners, but around here we don't use torture to extract information."

Daniel shook his head. "Neither do I as a rule. General, this is Cassie's only chance. I know what I'm doing, sir. Trust me."

It was very nearly a confirmation that Daniel intended to use torture (surely he didn't), and Janet expected the general to refuse. What would Daniel do then? Would he fight his way in? Did she want him to?

The general stepped aside. "Very well." He nodded to the SFs. One of them opened the door. Daniel hesitated at the door, and Janet saw his hand flex convulsively within the metal sheath of the device he wore. Whatever he was planning, he didn't want to do it.

Sam caught Janet's arm. "What the hell is he going to do?" she asked as Daniel walked into the cell.

"I don't know. He said something about Sha're."

"What does that mean? Sha're?" Vidrine demanded.

Sam saved Janet from answering. "It's a name, sir. Sha're was Daniel's wife." She was frowning, apparently as confused as Janet by the reference to a woman who had been dead for two years.

The three of them followed Daniel into the cell. Nirrti was seated in the centre of an otherwise bare room. She was being kept in restraints. Janet eyed the restraints nervously, well aware of how strong a Goa'uld could be. She hoped the chains were adequate. The cell door closed behind them with a dull thud.

Nirrti's eyes glowed as she looked at Entar. An almost animalistic snarl marred her face. She spoke to him, speaking in Goa'uld so Janet didn't understand the words, but the tone was unmistakably vicious. Janet caught the word Tok'Ra in there somewhere.

Entar answered her in the same language.

Vidrine glanced at the two women. Sam shrugged, unable to translate.

Nirrti spoke again, a single, harsh word.

Entar raised his hand. The jewel in the centre of the ribbon device began to glow. Nirrti's eyes followed the jewel, the expression on her face unreadable.

"Doctor Jackson..." Vidrine warned. In the same instant a beam of light came from the device to hold Nirrti in its grip. Vidrine stepped forward, obviously intending to stop him.

Janet watched, fascinated and revolted at once. She had read descriptions of the device, but had never seen it used before. She didn't know what she wanted. She should hate Nirrti. She was responsible for so many deaths as well as for what Cassie was suffering. She deserved this, and worse. But such hatred was abstract, even with the object of it right in front of her, and that meant it lacked strength. Janet was a doctor and Goa'uld or no, Nirrti looked human. It went against everything Janet was to watch a human being in pain and do nothing.

She did nothing.

Sam blurted, "General, wait! I think I know what he's doing."

Vidrine stepped back.

Entar's eyes never left Nirrti's face. He stood stiffly, the only movement a slight wavering of his right hand. Nirrti was kept in her seat only by the restraints; without them she would have fallen. Her eyes were open, staring at nothing, and her mouth was slack.

The device was unrelenting. Janet couldn't bear it any longer. This was Daniel, her Daniel...

"Doctor Jackson!" General Vidrine barked.

"Daniel, please!" Janet cried involuntarily.

Entar staggered back as the light of the device went out. It was as if the light had been a physical connection between them. As if it were a taut rope that snapped. Sam, quicker than the rest of them, leapt to Entar's side, supporting him.

Nirrti's head slumped down. Instinctively, Janet moved to her side. She checked Nirrti's vitals automatically. "She's alive," Janet reported. "He wasn't trying to kill her." Of that, at least, Janet was certain. She knew the power of the ribbon device. If Daniel — or Entar — wanted Nirrti dead, she would be.

She turned to Entar. He was holding onto the wall with one hand. The other hand — the one with the ribbon device — he held toward Sam.

"Take it," Daniel said, his voice unsteady, as if he was holding back tears. Sam slid the device from his hand, her eyes concerned.

The general rapped on the cell door before rounding on Daniel. "What the hell was that? I told you..."

Daniel held up a hand weakly. "Give me a moment, please."

Janet took Sam's place at his side. "Daniel, you're white as a sheet! What's wrong?" She offered her shoulder and he leaned on her heavily, which confirmed his weakness for her. Janet bit her lip, worried now. She didn't understand what was wrong.

Outside the cell he leaned back against the wall, closing his eyes. "I never want to do that again," he groaned. "God, that was horrible!"

"Explain, Doctor Jackson." Vidrine sounded impatient now. Janet reached for Daniel's hand and he squeezed hers gratefully.

Daniel took a deep breath. "Nirrti would never have talked in time to save Cassie. So, I...I took it from her mind."

Sam's gasp was audible. "You know how to cure her?"

Daniel looked at Janet. He nodded. "There isn't much time left. Let's go."

Janet's heart leapt. Daniel squeezed her hand once, then straightened up. He took off down the corridor. Janet followed him, not even waiting for the general's permission.

* * *

  


### Next Day, Briefing Room

Sam spoke first, explaining succinctly to the general the circumstances surrounding Sha're's death, and what she knew of Daniel's experience that day. Recovering in the infirmary after Amonet's assault, Daniel had talked to Sam, telling her about Sha're's message. He hadn't been certain, then, whether it was real or some bizarre hallucination. Prompted by Daniel's story, Sam spent a long time examining the ribbon device technology, but found no evidence it could be used the way Daniel described. No evidence it couldn't, either, but the scientist in her wouldn't let her form a conclusion based on negative proof. Privately, Sam admitted, avoiding Daniel's eyes as she spoke, she thought Daniel hallucinated.

Daniel chimed in at that point. "So did Jack," he volunteered, "and I never told anyone else what happened. The experience was very real to me, but it always felt...incomplete. As if there was part of the message I'd missed, something Sha're was trying to say that she couldn't get past Amonet." He looked down at the polished tabletop. "I'll never know for sure."

He swallowed. "After I was blended with Entar, I shared those memories with him. I was hoping Entar could help me remember what was missing. He couldn't. But we tried, and in trying we learned some things about the ribbon device that most Goa'uld and Tok'Ra have forgotten."

Daniel looked at the general. "You know that the Goa'uld did not create the technologies they use; they stole them from other races. Many of the devices we're familiar with: the memory recall technology, the ribbon device, the hand-held healing device all come from the same source. They are related, not just in origin, but in the way they work."

"By thought control," Sam put in.

"More than that," Daniel said. "There's a lot of background to this I could tell you but I don't know how accurate Entar's genetic memories are. The technology goes back to the first years the Goa'uld spent exploring the galaxy through the stargate network. They weren't an empire then, weren't a threat to the other races. The Goa'uld discovered a planet with two indigenous intelligent races. One of those races was telepathic, and had no spoken language. The other was more like us, though telepathic ability showed up occasionally in their gene pool. Between them, these two races had developed technologies to facilitate communication between them. That's the origin of the hand device: it's a technological descendent of something created for thought transference.

"The Goa'uld adapted that technology to their own purposes: warped it into weapons and instruments of torture. Later, when the Goa'uld became more powerful, that planet was destroyed, the original inhabitants slaughtered. This happened more than ten thousand years ago."

Daniel hesitated for a moment, letting that sink in for everyone around the table. After a few moments, he picked up his story again. "I believe that when Amonet tried to kill me, Sha're somehow stumbled onto how to use the ribbon device to transfer thought. Amonet couldn't fight Sha're and concentrate the device on killing me. In trying to get her message through, forcing Amonet to fight her, Sha're probably saved my life. I wish we could have saved her, too..." For a moment Daniel's voice trailed off. "The ribbon device isn't something any sane person would experiment with. Entar and I have discussed the theory a lot and we concluded it must be possible to use the device to...I'm not sure how to describe it. To connect two minds. Until yesterday, it was just theory."

"That's very interesting, Doctor Jackson," General Vidrine told him, "but it doesn't explain what you did."

"We — Entar and I — used the ribbon device to create a sort of telepathic connection with Nirrti's mind. This made it possible to find the information we needed to cure Cassie." He addressed the general directly. "It wasn't torture, though I'll admit Nirrti experienced some pain as a side-effect. There wasn't any other way to help Cassie."

"That much, I believe," Vidrine answered. He was frowning. "And if you didn't have immunity, Doctor Jackson, I would have you arrested and court-martialled for unauthorised use of alien technology."

Daniel refrained from making the obvious reply.

* * *

  


### Next Day

Entar knocked lightly on the frame of General Vidrine's open door. The general looked up and beckoned him in. Entar closed the door behind him.

"Doctor Jackson. How's the girl?"

"Cassandra is recovering well, General," Entar answered. "I came to enquire what you plan to do about Nirrti."

As always, he observed the slight hardening of the general's features when he, not Daniel, spoke. They had a good working relationship, but the general preferred to hear a human voice. It was a prejudice Daniel learned to live with since becoming Entar's host, but in General Vidrine's case, he believed it was more than just prejudice. The general preferred to deal with Daniel because Daniel still behaved like he was under Vidrine's command...most of the time. He was willing to yield to the general's judgement. Entar was not.

Vidrine gestured to the chair. "Have a seat, ambassador." He waited for Entar to sit down. "When you ask an unnecessary question, I know I'm in for a battle."

"Unnecessary?"

"Your host is well aware of my standing orders, Entar."

«_I told you to be straight with him..._»

"Then you intend to hand her over to the NID."

"You know I can't answer that."

Which was as close to a confirmation as Vidrine could give, within the regulations. It was an illogical situation: Vidrine knew that Entar, through Daniel, knew most of the answers, but he couldn't tell Entar directly. It was classified information. Entar nodded, accepting the confirmation. "General, Nirrti is the most cunning of the Goa'uld. I understand how important a Goa'uld prisoner is to Earth, but I'm very much afraid of what could happen in this case."

Vidrine's frown deepened. "I think you underestimate us, Entar."

"I fear you underestimate Nirrti. Your leaders want a Goa'uld prisoner because they hope you can obtain intelligence or technology through interrogation. If you try that with Nirrti, sooner or later she will give you something. You will have to decide whether to trust her word. And if you do, she will destroy you."

There was a long silence.

«_If you patronise him, Entar, he's not going to go for it_.»

«_If I don't make the danger clear, he will have no reason to accept our offer_.»

«_I know, Entar, but Tok'Ra arrogance isn't going to get us anywhere..._»

The general met Entar's eyes. "I assume you're here to propose another option." He didn't sound eager to hear it.

"The Tok'Ra High Council wants to trade..."

Vidrine held up a hand, interrupting. "Before you go on, Entar, I don't think there's anything the High Council would be willing to offer that would be enough. Not this time. The opportunity represented by Nirrti..."

"...Is a time bomb in disguise. She will use your greed for technology to destroy you."

«_Entar, for god's sake shut up and let me talk to him!_»

Daniel took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, General. Entar is very worried and I don't think he's wrong about this. I know you've read about what happened when we first rescued Cassie, but maybe the reports don't tell you what it was like to be there. Nirrti was one step ahead of us all the way, sir. She used our compassion for an orphaned child, and put a bomb in Cassandra's chest that could have levelled this mountain. It was pure chance that we survived. And that was just the first time. The truth is she's useless to you as a prisoner. You don't dare trust anything she tells you."

"What are the Tok'Ra offering?"

"Access to Goa'uld technology. It's not as much as you could theoretically get out of a Goa'uld prisoner, but it's far less dangerous."

Vidrine's eyes widened. He covered the expression quickly, but Daniel saw enough. He knew he had Vidrine's attention.

"Doctor Jackson, you've always refused to share your Goa'uld knowledge with us."

It was nearly an accusation. An unfair one, Daniel felt. He shared what he could, all the time. Daniel sighed, not wanting to go over that ground again. "I still feel that way. General, I have the knowledge, but a lot of the time I don't have a context for it. I'm an archaeologist, not a physicist and I haven't been Entar's host long enough to understand everything in his memories. I can't safely divulge what I know. It would be like handing a loaded gun to a ten year old boy...not because humans are childish, but because you wouldn't know enough about what I was giving you."

"So what's changed?"

"Nothing. This offer comes from the Council, not from me...though I admit I had a lot to do with it. The proposal is this: you nominate a scientist, someone who is already familiar with alien technologies. That person will go to Revanna and work with one of our top scientists. Nothing will be hidden or held back. Interstellar flight, weapons, power generation...everything we know will be freely available. He or she can stay with the Tok'Ra as long as necessary, then bring whatever he's learned back to Earth."

Silence. Vidrine was frowning. Then he looked up at Daniel. "How long are we talking about?"

"That depends on the scientist you choose. You need to select someone who is capable of calling a halt. All the knowledge of the Tok'Ra would take much longer than a lifetime to learn."

"So we're talking about a timescale of years."

"Yes, I think so. And this offer won't be on the table for long. Everything one person can learn, in exchange for Nirrti." Daniel found he was clenching his fist in his lap. They had to accept the offer. They had to.

"Tell me, Doctor Jackson, what will happen to Nirrti in the hands of the Tok'Ra?"

«_Don't answer that, my friend_.»

«_I won't if I can avoid it_.»

Daniel tried a brief smile. "With all due respect, General, do you care?"

"We have laws, Doctor Jackson."

There was only one way to answer that. Cynicism didn't come easily to Daniel, but it did to Entar. Daniel let Entar's feelings show in his face, and when he spoke his voice dripped with sarcasm. "Laws. Yes. Well, the Tok'Ra aren't exactly bound by the Geneva convention. Neither is the USA, when it's inconvenient, and we both know that, sir. But let's not cloud the issue with irrelevancies."

"I will not recommend my superiors hand over a prisoner to a regime where she will be tortured. Even if she is Goa'uld."

«_Nirrti wouldn't hesitate to use humans for whatever purpose..._»

«_That's true enough, Entar, but this isn't about her. It's about me_.»

Daniel took a deep breath. Quietly, he asked, "Does what I did to save Cassie bother you that much?"

"Are you surprised?"

"Given some of the things the USAF has been prepared to do since I joined the stargate program, yes, I am." It was okay to send a nuclear bomb to wipe out the people of Abydos, but Vidrine had a problem with this? It seemed unlikely to Daniel. "General, Cassie is my daughter. I did what I had to do to save her. I didn't torture Nirrti..."

"You told me yourself the hand device is an instrument of torture."

"Yes, it is. But I didn't use it that way, as I explained to you in the debriefing. I just made her uncomfortable for a while. She wasn't harmed." It was close enough to the truth. "General, I won't tell you the Tok'Ra never use extreme methods of interrogation. It's been known to happen. But it's not our usual practice, any more than it's standard practice here. In Nirrti's case, it would be pointless."

"Then you should be able to answer my question. What will happen to her?"

"The Tok'Ra will make sure she cannot escape or hurt anyone else. The rest depends on the High Council. They might hold her indefinitely, or they might execute her. Call it for war crimes — that's as close as international law comes to the truth."

Unbidden, the memory of torture came into Daniel's mind again. War crimes? The machine she used on Entar was truly horrific...it was hard to avoid thinking about it. He didn't need more reasons to hate Nirrti.

"Very well. I'll relay your offer to the President."

It wasn't the resounding recommendation Daniel hoped for, but it was enough.

* * *

Vidrine may not have been enthusiastic about the plan when Daniel spoke with him, but he must have given it a strong recommendation. After some intensive negotiation on the details, the deal was approved quickly. Nirrti would be given to the Tok'Ra.

Daniel was relieved; he had been truly frightened of the damage Nirrti might do on Earth. He also had more personal reasons for wanting her out of his life. Daniel knew Entar had been imprisoned and tortured by Nirrti. Since healing Cassie, he'd caught occasional flashes of it from Entar, but no details. Entar couldn't hide it from Daniel if he wanted to go after the memories, but he was trying to respect Entar's wishes and leave it alone. He had access to everything in Entar's memory, but there was so much there — four thousand years of life — most of the time he wasn't consciously aware of any of it. Not until something triggered a memory...as Nirrti's appearance did.

Entar's feelings were complex and confusing to Daniel. Those flashes of memory: there was terror and darkness in there, expected things. But there were also things that didn't make sense. A weird sort of gratitude. Something like satisfaction. He tried not to go there. He really tried.

So it was a relief in several ways when the Tok'Ra arrived at the SGC to take custody of the prisoner. Four of them: more than enough for the short journey so there was no real need for Daniel to accompany them when they left.

Unfortunately, he had the other side of the trade to deal with.

At first, Daniel was happy Vidrine chose a civilian scientist. The foremost military expert in alien technologies was Sam Carter. With her affinity with the Tok'Ra well established, Daniel worried that she would be chosen for this exchange. He didn't think Sam would thank him for an assignment that included giving up command of SG-1.

The man they did choose was a pain in the ass, however. And that was the most complimentary thing Daniel could find to say about him. Daniel and Entar had to accompany him to Revanna, but Cassie's illness became a convenient excuse for Daniel to hurry back to Earth.

The sight of Janet waiting for him at the base of the ramp banished his irritation instantly. Daniel's first thought was of Cassie and he asked after her urgently.

"She's doing well, Daniel," Janet reassured him. "I just wanted to meet you, that's all. I was worried."

Daniel took her hand as they walked out of the gate room. "Worried? About me? Why?"

"I don't trust her."

"Nirrti?" Daniel squeezed Janet's hand gently. "Neither do I, but I wasn't in any danger. She won't be a threat to any of us again. The Tok'Ra might even get some useful information out of her."

He felt Janet lean closer to him and looked down at her. She met his eyes, frowning slightly. "I thought you said she wouldn't tell you anything useful?"

"Useful to the SGC. I want to know if she's been experimenting on any other planets. I don't know if she'll talk, but they'll do everything they can."

"Why is it so important?"

"Because if she's done to others what she did to Cassie, those people will need help." What Daniel didn't say...couldn't say...was he had no idea whether he would be able to help. Nirrti's mess wasn't his responsibility. But he felt it just the same.

Janet nodded. "I should have known." She saw his frown and changed the subject abruptly. "So, how is Doctor McKay settling in?"

Daniel laughed softly, glad of the distraction from heavier thoughts. "People call the Tok'Ra arrogant, but that man gives a whole new meaning to the word. I think they're going to have to spank him into shape before he'll 'settle in'."

"That doesn't sound like part of the deal."

Daniel shrugged. "Neither was making me put up with that…man. Brilliant he may be, but he has the social skills of a three year old."

"...And who were you calling arrogant?" Janet asked archly.

Daniel laughed again. "Okay, okay. It's not my problem now anyway. The Council asked Anise to take on the project. If she can't handle him, no one can."

"Ouch."

"Yeah. I think they'll end up killing each other." He grinned, catching her eye. "Entar thinks they'll fall in love."


	15. Bombshells

"Chevron seven...locked!"

The gate room flooded with light and Jack took a deep breath. He waited, more tensely than usual, for the routine announcement. He rolled his shoulders, trying to dispel some of the tension. Not a chance. Not today.

"IDC signal acknowledged. You're cleared for departure, Colonel."

"Thank you, Lieutenant." Jack resisted the urge to tug at his collar. He turned to Colonel Kovecek. "Look after my base, Stan."

Kovacek didn't smile. "Yes, sir," he acknowledged. Jack noted the lack of humour worriedly. None of them felt like smiling today. Jack was going to have to do something about that. Morale this low was dangerous.

Jack nodded to Stan and walked up the ramp to the stargate.

To Earth.

* * *

These trips to Earth were few and far between. Jack usually looked forward to them. A summons to Cheyenne Mountain was a chance to smell the air of home and catch up with friends. An opportunity to see a game with Daniel or go fishing in Minnesota.

There would be no fishing today, and Daniel...had changed. Not to mention Jack had an uncomfortable feeling he was about to get his ass kicked.

He pushed hard to convince the brass that the X-301 test flight should be staged from the SGA, not Earth. Was he wrong? No, his reasoning was sound: it had nothing to do with the prestige of the mission, it was about protecting Earth. Stargate Alpha was supposed to be the front line. The whole reason the base existed was to remove the risk — as far as it was ever possible — from Earth. If the Goa'uld were watching, and the X-301 flew from Earth, there was a chance they would decide the flight put Earth in breach of the Protected Planets treaty. They walked a fine line as it was, and that treaty was the only thing standing between Earth and a war they couldn't win. _According to Treaty Law Section 326, no human planet will be allowed to advance technologically to a point where they may become a threat to the Goa'uld. Definition of such threat shall rest solely in the hands of the system lords._ That was a bitch of a line to walk.

On the other hand, the SGA was on a planet unknown to the Goa'uld, and was not part of the Asgard treaty. It meant that if SGA were attacked, they were on their own, but it was also a useful loophole.

Jack pushed for it. Jack got the mission. Had the test flight gone according to plan, the SGA would have shared in the credit.

Instead the mission went to hell, the X-301 was lost with both pilots and Jack had to admit the resources of the SGA weren't up to a rescue. Had the test flight taken place from Earth as originally proposed there was a chance — an outside chance, maybe, but still a chance — those men could have been saved.

Jack pushed for the mission, so Jack had to take the blame. He submitted his report along with the reports written by Carter, Wilson and Kovacek. His report was honest, admitting to the mistakes that were made as well as highlighting the parts where things went well. The mission evaluations and analysis took place on Earth, without Jack present. Then, this summons.

If he was about to get his ass kicked, Jack figured he deserved it. Two men were dead because of his short-sightedness.

Still, there was plenty of blame to go around and Jack wasn't happy about taking the fall for this. What about the scientists who missed the recall device in the glider's systems? What about the dodgy backup systems that meant they lost radio contact with the X-301 long before they should have? What about the idiots who agreed with Jack's request to run the test flight from his base?

Arriving on Earth did nothing for Jack's confidence.

It was normal for General Vidrine to meet him in the gate room. When Jack stepped out of the stargate, the general was nowhere in sight. In his place, Captain... (Jack couldn't even remember his name at first! _Bradshaw_, that was it.)...Captain Bradshaw waited. He snapped off a salute as Jack reached him; Jack returned it automatically.

"Welcome to Earth, Colonel O'Neill."

"Thank you, Captain. Where's the general?"

"He's in his office, sir. He wants to see you right away."

"Right away? No medical check first?" Oh, boy was he in trouble!

Bradshaw nodded. "That is what the general said, sir."

"Then I'd better get up there."

* * *

General Vidrine's office door was closed. Through the glass, Jack could see he was on the phone. Apprehensively, he tapped on the door and waited. The general looked up and beckoned him in.

"Yes, sir...he's here now...Thank you." He ended the call and hung up.

Jack stood at attention. Right now he just wanted to get this over with.

"At ease." Vidrine opened his desk drawer and pulled out a folder, placing it on the desk in front of him. "Coffee, Jack?"

_Jack_. That might be a good sign. "No, thank you, sir." He hesitated, then decided he had very little to lose. "General, about the test flight..."

"I didn't bring you here to discuss the X-301, Colonel. We have a lot to get through today, so I'd appreciate you letting me get started."

"Yes, sir." _Shutting up now, sir. Oh, shit..._

"Three days ago the President approved plans for the expansion of the Stargate Alpha facility. As a result of this, and in light of recent events, our superiors feel that the SGA should be commanded by someone of a higher rank than colonel."

Jack struggled to keep his expression neutral. He knew what that meant. After nearly two years running his own base, he couldn't knuckle under someone else's command, not even if it were Vidrine. It wasn't likely he would be given the chance to try. After all his work out there... On the other hand, this was a recognition his people richly deserved. Putting a general in command meant that the SGA was recognised as an independent command, not just a branch of the SGC. The acknowledgement was overdue and Jack tried to be proud of his team.

Vidrine was still talking. "I know how much you hate all this formality, so I have your orders right here." He handed a sheet of paper to Jack.

Jack took it, noted the formal USAF seal at the top of the page but didn't read any further. This was too fast. "I'm being re-assigned? With all due respect, sir, I know I've made some mistakes recently, but..."

"Jack."

Jack shut up and looked down at the letter in his hand. _I hear Antarctica is nice this time of year..._ He skipped the formal blurb at the beginning. _From the commander-in-chief of..._yadda, yadda, yadda. Then his eye fell on _...immediately assume the rank and responsibilities of Brigadier General_... and Jack could have sworn his heart quit beating for a second.

"Is this for real?" he blurted, then thought better of it. General Vidrine didn't possess a sense of humour. "What am I saying? Of course it is. But..."

"Congratulations, General."

"I...I don't deserve this. Not now." Two men were dead, and Jack was responsible.

"The X-301?" Vidrine asked. He didn't need to hear Jack's answer. Vidrine stood, walking around his desk to where Jack stood. "Jack, I understand your feelings, but you're wrong about that. To my mind, the measure of a commander's ability isn't in how he handles success. It's in how he deals with failure, how he adjusts to changes he doesn't like, and how he copes with a no-win situation like the X-301 test flight. You found a creative solution to the problem and it's not your fault it failed. I had no hesitation in recommending you for promotion. You've more than earned it...General O'Neill."

"Thank you, sir." What else was there to say?

* * *

Jack would have begged off the party that followed if he could have. Social gatherings were not Jack's greatest pleasure, especially if he was going to be the centre of attention. Though he had to admit, he decided as he changed into his new dress blues, he _did_ like this uniform. It was an acknowledgement, not just of his own performance, but of the success of Stargate Alpha. _That_ made him feel proud.

Jack reluctantly headed into the conference room and his appearance was greeted with loud applause. He felt a grin pulling at the corners of his mouth and let it happen. Except for those assigned to SG teams, personnel were rotated between the SGC and Stargate Alpha on a regular basis, so most of the faces in the room were familiar. Good people, all of them.

Someone called out, "Speech!" and others took up the call.

That was almost enough to wipe the grin off Jack's face. He held up a hand for quiet. "Not until I've had at least two beers," he told them.

Laughter. That was good. Then someone handed him a bottle. Beer. Jack looked at the bottle in surprise. It was his favourite kind, too. Then Daniel met his eyes briefly from across the room and Jack knew who was responsible for this. He wasn't sure how to feel about that. Perhaps it was time he tried to mend his bridges with Daniel. He held Daniel's eyes for a moment. _Geez, Daniel, when did you last get a haircut?_ A hairstyle was a small thing, really, but the change was dramatic, underlining that Daniel was a different man now.

It took Jack forever to cross the room. So many people offering congratulations or asking after friends, and Jack had to talk to all of them. Finally, he came up behind Daniel, who by then was deep in conversation with Major Davies.

Jack tried, "Hello, Daniel." Lame, but adequate. He found he was holding his breath as Daniel turned around. The last time they spoke, it hadn't exactly been friendly...

Entar said, "Congratulations, General."

The temperature in the room dropped a few degrees. "I was hoping to speak to Daniel," Jack said frostily.

Davies cleared his throat uncomfortably. "I need to...er..." He began to move away.

Jack was happy to see him go, but Entar called after him. He followed Davies, said something to him Jack didn't catch, then turned back to face Jack. "How can I help you, General?"

"I told you I want to speak to Daniel." Jack hated this. Hated it. Seeing Daniel's body, Daniel's face, but hearing a Goa'uld speak with his voice. In a room full of people he couldn't say the things he wanted to.

He saw Entar shake his head briefly. "I'm sorry, General, Daniel prefers not to speak. I won't force him to speak against his will."

"Don't you think that's a little childish?"

Jack saw the faintest hint of Daniel's smile touch his lips. "Yes, General, I do. But it's Daniel's choice."

* * *

Daniel saw Jack enter the room. He felt tense. Jack was happy and smiling. As the applause died away, Jack looked in his direction. Daniel swallowed, trying hard to keep his feelings off his face. Then he turned away. Paul Davies was a welcome distraction, Daniel decided, shifting his attention to the conversation Jack's entrance interrupted.

"I didn't say we can't negotiate," Daniel said, relaying for Entar. "I just wanted to know why you waited for two men to die before asking the Tok'Ra for assistance."

Davies' eyes met his. "That's not fair."

"Isn't it? I've been here at the SGC for a long time, Paul. I work here, for the Air Force. I thought I was trusted. Didn't it occur to you that Entar and I might know something that could help?"

«_Of course it did. That's why they're asking us now_,» Entar pointed out.

«_I'm tired of these games, Entar. The X-301 would never have flown if they'd let us in on the project. Why come crawling for help now, when it's too late?_»

Davies smiled suddenly. "The words _need to know_ don't mean a lot to you, do they?"

The tone was so familiar Daniel couldn't help laughing. "Yes, they do. I'm sorry."

«_Someone's in love_.» Entar teased.

«_What?_»

«_Paul. Did you see his face when you laughed?_»

Daniel met Paul's eyes. "I'm willing to help, but..." He was aware of the other man holding his gaze for just a fraction too long. «_Now you're making me paranoid_,» he accused Entar testily.

«_What's wrong with him finding you attractive?_»

"Hello, Daniel."

Jack's voice. Daniel felt panic rising up in him. «_I can't talk to him, Entar!_»

«_You can. You just don't wish to_.» Entar was relentlessly honest, as always. «_I'll cover for you if you want_.»

Gratefully, Daniel released control of their body to Entar. Entar turned to face Jack. "Congratulations, General."

"I was hoping to talk to Daniel," Jack said coldly.

Paul coughed uncomfortably. "I need to...er..."

«_Better let him escape, Entar_.»

Entar followed Paul for a few steps. "Come by my quarters before you fly back to Washington. We can discuss what you need from me then."

After the briefest hesitation, Paul nodded. "I will. Thank you, ambassador."

«_Will you **stop** flirting with him!_»

«_I'm not_.» Entar's thought carried no conviction. It wasn't possible for them to lie to each other.

«_You are,» Daniel insisted. «I don't care if you're right or wrong about Paul. I'm with Janet, remember?_»

* * *

"Any questions?" Daniel asked, turning the projector off and the lights back on. He must have given this presentation fifty times: it was part of the standard orientation for new recruits coming in to the SGC. It was Daniel's job to make them understand why academic disciplines like his were essential to the stargate program and why a purely military outlook wouldn't help them once they stepped through the gate. If they did.

In a couple of days, he would talk to them about the Tok'Ra. Until then, he purposely didn't let them know he was Entar's host. One or two of them might find via the grapevine, but most wouldn't know until he told them. That was an object lesson in how easily a Goa'uld might fool a person into believing it wasn't there.

He glanced at each face in turn. These groups usually took his presentation casually, as if it was a pointless exercise. They rarely asked questions. Today, when he caught the eye of one young lieutenant, he was surprised.

"Sir, you said the people on most of these planets came from Earth originally."

"Most of them, yes," Daniel agreed. "That's not a question."

"But if that's true, why are they still so...primitive? Shouldn't they have advanced like we did?"

Daniel felt his eyebrows raise in surprise. "That's a good question, Lieutenant." «_A very good question_.» he added, privately, to Entar.

"Don't use the word _primitive_ once you're out there. People find it insulting. You're correct in essence: nearly all of the cultures we've encountered out there are pre-industrial. Why is that?" He paused, letting the question sink in for the others. "We can't know for sure, but I can offer a theory. Firstly..." A tap on the door made him stop talking. Daniel waited as the door opened.

General O'Neill opened the door. "At ease," he said quietly to the room. He moved to the back and took a seat.

Daniel couldn't tell Jack to leave, so he chose to ignore his presence entirely. He stacked his notes in front of him. "Firstly," he began again, "the people taken from Earth by the Goa'uld were taken in relatively small groups, and usually from only one place. So they have been culturally isolated for centuries. Most of our great technological advances have come about because of contacts with other cultures, either through war, or through trade.

"Secondly, in many places the Goa'uld have actively suppressed the things that can lead to advancement. On Abydos Ra outlawed reading and writing, for example. And thirdly, small groups of people means a limited population, and in turn that means less likelihood that the gene pool will produce the great inventors. So while many of the cultures we have encountered through the stargate _have_ advanced and evolved since leaving Earth, few have done so to the extent that we have here on Earth." He offered the Lieutenant a quick smile. "I hope that answers your question."

"It makes sense," he agreed.

"Any further questions?"

There were none. "In that case, we're done." Daniel, having no choice, added, "With your permission, General?"

O'Neill nodded.

"Dismissed," Daniel concluded.

«_Calm down, my friend_.»

«_I **don't** want to talk to him!_»

«_This time, you must, Daniel. If you want to tell him to fuck off, I won't stop you. But tell him yourself. Stop hiding behind me_.»

«_I wasn't hiding!_»

«_As you prefer. Talk to him_.»

As the last of the new recruits left the room, O'Neill came forward. "Daniel, can we please talk?"

Daniel gathered up his papers. "What's the point?"

"Damn it, Daniel..."

"No. Not until I hear an apology."

"You drop a bomb like that on me and you think _I_ owe _you_ an apology!"

"You don't get it, do you? You can't have it both ways, Jack! If Entar is a Goa'uld and this is him, not me talking, then he's _still_ an ambassador whose rank and position here are endorsed by our treaty with the Tok'Ra, and the way you treated him was unacceptable. If I was telling the truth — and I am — then I'm Entar's willing host, and you've got a funny way of treating a friend. Either way, your behaviour was unacceptable, _General_, and you owe Entar an apology."

Daniel was angry. He had been holding that in for over a year, and it felt good to finally say it. He could see Jack struggling to bite back an angry response.

Jack drew in a deep breath. "Maybe I was out of line."

"_Maybe?_"

"For crying out loud, Daniel, what do you want me to say?"

Daniel gathered up his files quickly. "Nothing, Jack. I don't think we have anything to say to each other." He pushed past his former friend and stalked out of the room.

«_That was constructive_.»

«_Not now, Entar_...»

«_So when? I don't know why you feel so protective of me, my friend, but I can fight my own battles. When it's necessary_.»

«_So I should just let him get away with treating you like a Goa'uld?_»

«_I don't know, Daniel. He was trying to fix things between you. How can he apologise if you won't listen to him?_»

Daniel sighed. «_Shit. Okay, I'll go after him. After I've calmed down_.»

As it turned out, he didn't get the chance.

* * *

  


### P3X-116

She needed a holiday, damn it! Sam had been getting that twinge between her shoulder blades too often of late. She even consulted the base physiotherapist about it, thinking the pain could be a residue of an old injury. Westbrook suggested seeing a chiropractor rather than a physio and recommended "meditation and a darn good chakra cleansing". Huh. She could just imagine the look on Colonel O'Neill's face — let alone General Vidrine's! — if she put in a requisition for a complementary therapist for her own personal use at the SGA. Still...however hokey it sounded John Westbrook was a good physio; he knew what he was doing. It was a hell of a weird way to tell her to relax, though.

As for meditation, maybe Teal'c could help her out there. His Kel'no'reem was kinda like meditation. It wouldn't hurt to ask. SG-1 was due a couple of days stand-down after this mission. Maybe if...

Suddenly she was ducking and rolling, coming up on her knees, P-90 at the ready, facing back where she'd just come from. She noted with satisfaction that Gene Wilson had followed her lead. She searched the undergrowth with her eyes, unable to see what had triggered her reaction. Her instinct had just shot a titan missile up her spine; her nerves screamed _danger_! Someone was nearby, watching them. Someone...over there...

The trees around them made it hard to tell, but Sam could swear the bush over on her left, about twenty metres back, was moving. Residual movement, as if someone had just dropped flat behind it. She glanced at Wilson; his covert signal told her he noticed the same thing.

Damn! This planet was supposed to be uninhabited. The two of them were out in the open, vulnerable, even if they were less of an obvious target now. Any move they made would be seen by whoever or whatever was watching. Quickly she reviewed what she knew of the terrain behind them. There was a slight incline about twenty yards away. If she backed up until she reached the incline she should be out of sight of the watcher and might have a chance to circle round. Looking back at Wilson who was switching his attention between her and the watcher, she signalled him to hold his fire and stay put. He signalled back assent and she began to shuffle back as quickly as was safe.

Flashes of light and smoke appeared at the watcher's position accompanied by the sound of a repeated staff blast. What the...?

It was Teal'c and Simmons, running toward them.

"Major Carter!"

"Teal'c!" She scrambled to her feet, peripherally aware of Wilson doing the same.

"Jaffa, Major, three of them," Wilson reported as he ran up to her position.

"Are you both unharmed?" Teal'c asked, concerned.

Sam nodded. "Why didn't they fire on us? It was like they were stalking us."

"I believe they were scouts. There is an alkesh and two death gliders two kilometres south of this position."

"What could they be doing here?"

Teal'c's frown deepened. "They seek to hide their presence on this planet. I have ordered such behaviour myself when I served Apophis."

"Why, Teal'c? What could they be hiding?"

"Such actions were usually ordered by Apophis when reconnoitring a planet unknown to him. He would do this to find a planet on which he could establish an outpost unknown to the other system lords."

"A new base?" Hmm. Teal'c's suggestion made sense. Once a Goa'uld outpost was operational the security was all but perfect, and SG-1 as well as other teams had suffered heavy consequences trying to penetrate such bases. However, if the base was not yet complete...

"Teal'c, I take it you got all three Jaffa?"

There was that subtle Jaffa smugness as he inclined his head. "Indeed."

"Okay." This might be an incredible opportunity. Thinking fast, Sam began a rapid trawl for information. "Teal'c, how many Jaffa can we expect to find here?"

"Eight or ten. However, the presence of the alkesh indicates that the Goa'uld or system lord is also here. He would want to personally oversee any planet considered for such a base."

"Right." Sam blew out her cheeks, wondering if she was actually considering...what she was considering." If the maximum number of Jaffa here is ten, and you just took out three of them, that leaves seven. Would they also be scouting the area, or guarding the perimeter?"

She saw Teal'c's eyes betray his surprise as he realised what she was thinking. "One or two, possibly, may be scouting," he told her.

"Which at worst leaves six..."

"Correct. They will be guarding the ships and their lord."

"Major," Simmons interrupted, "if we can avoid the other scouts, we might be able to take them. Just imagine what we can learn..."

Sam grinned to hear Simmons echoing her own thoughts. "I agree, Lieutenant, but two klicks south means they're very close to the gate. Goa'uld SOP is to secure the stargate first, so there may be Jaffa already guarding it. Regaining control of the gate has to be our priority."

"We can take them," Wilson rallied. "They're already spread thin, Major, and if they're babysitting a Goa'uld as well they can't have spared more than two to watch the gate. It also means we won't have far to go if we do have to abort."

Sam smiled. "Gene, I do believe you've been taking lessons from our beloved leader."

"Well, I figured it couldn't hurt to take a page or two out of his book. Of course, there isn't an actual book, per se, most of it being classified and all, so I kinda had to go to the horse's mouth. So to speak."

Almost laughing, Sam patted the eager captain on the shoulder. "C'mon then. Let's find out who we're dealing with."

* * *

Well...this was awkward.

Yes, they managed to take down the other scout without difficulty, and the Goa'uld who was here had only two Jaffa guarding him. He wasn't a system lord, so he didn't merit serious protection and normally that would be good news for SG-1. However...

_Not_ when that Goa'uld was Tanith.

If they were to garner any intel on this mission, their best chance was to come up with a carefully worked-out plan to draw Tanith and the Jaffa away from the alkesh long enough for Wilson and herself to sneak on board and raid the data banks.

Not really a problem. Sam thought she could probably do that a couple of times before breakfast by now, but there was always an unknown factor to deal with and right now there was definitely more than one. Sam had no idea whether Tanith had any perimeter defences in place. Teal'c thought it unlikely, and his judgement was usually trustworthy when it cam to Goa'uld strategies. Sam couldn't see anything that might alert Tanith to their presence. Not seeing it didn't mean it wasn't there: one uncertainty. The other was Teal'c.

"I will do nothing inappropriate, Major Carter," was the best assurance she could get from him before he and Simmons began to make their way along the crescent-shaped ridge above the plain where the Goa'uld ships stood. She had no choice but to take his word, but remained uncomfortably aware that they might have vastly different definitions of _inappropriate_ today. There wasn't time to argue it out. Teal'c and Simmons would create a diversion quickly, before Tanith finished whatever he was doing down there. They had to act before he thought to recall his scouts and realised he wasn't alone.

"Major!"

Wilson, keeping a look out from cover at the top of the ridge, was looking back at her.

"What's up, Captain?"

He gestured for her to come closer. She moved over to his position, keeping low. Glancing down onto the plain she saw immediately what was wrong. Damn! Tanith was obviously packing up to leave and he had some sort of device he was activating. She heard an electronic whistle sound coming from a distance and realised it was a recall signal.

"Oh, damn, we're not going to have time to..." Sam activated her radio and spoke urgently into the mic. "Teal'c, come in."

"Major Carter."

"Teal'c, we have to abort. Tanith's recalled the Jaffa. He's going to know something's wrong in seconds. Get back here, ASAP."

There was no answer. "Teal'c? Teal'c, come in! _Teal'c_!" Sam cursed under her breath. "Gene, we'd better stay on alert. He's going to do something stupid, I know it!"

"There!" Wilson pointed and she saw Teal'c appear over the edge of the rise and begin to descend recklessly. The oversized gun-cannon he now habitually carried — torn from a downed death glider on another mission — was already blazing and Tanith and his Jaffa scattered to their respective craft. Sam heard Teal'c's bellow of fury as Tanith made it to the alkesh unscathed. She motioned Wilson over the rise and the two of them ran toward Teal'c, both firing at the death gliders as they took off. The gliders attempted to provide covering fire for the alkesh which rose more slowly into the air. Sam had to abandon the attack to take cover from the gliders.

The alkesh managed to gain altitude and it looked as if Tanith's escape was certain. Then Tanith made his fatal mistake. Instead of taking off, he turned the alkesh — to seek out Teal'c, Sam assumed. A blast from Teal'c's glider cannon took out the whole front of the pel'tac, blowing the alkesh control room, and Tanith with it, to bits.

Sam discovered she was holding her breath as the alkesh hung motionless in the sky for a moment, then crashed to earth. The shockwave as it hit forced all the breath from her body. Through the choking debris Sam searched the sky for the death gliders. Visibility must be as poor for the Jaffa as it was for her. She couldn't see them.

Coughing her way through her next order, Sam made sure the rest of SG-1 donned their dust filtration masks and stayed put while the dust settled. There was an abundance of scrub cover at the base of the hill; she crouched there, P-90 at the ready, and waited for the gliders to come back.

Simmons took out one of the gliders with a well-aimed salvo from his P-90. It nose-dived into the ground, clipping the other glider on the way down. Teal'c finished the second glider off.

Sam was going to have a stern talk with him about obeying orders. Not that Teal'c would listen. She thumbed the radio again. "Wilson, Teal'c check out those gliders. Simmons...wait for me outside the alkesh. _Outside_, understand?"

* * *

"So, Teal'c, you finally got him."

Climbing down from the ruin for the glider, Teal'c took in the exhilarated grin of Captain Wilson. He seemed pleased that Teal'c had achieved vengeance for his lost love. Teal'c bowed his head in deference to his team mate's happiness for him.

"Indeed," he rumbled, allowing the satisfaction at the death of his hated enemy to flood his being. Tanith was dead, by Teal'c's hand. It was a great victory.

_His host is an innocent in all this..._

Daniel's words came back to him, but even that truth couldn't mar this day for Teal'c.

Wilson was still grinning at him. "C'mon, Teal'c. Let's go find out what goodies the major has found."

"If the alkesh is salvageable, it will prove to be invaluable to the SGA."

"I reckon that's what the major has in mind." They jogged over to the downed Goa'uld vessel and clambered inside.

"Major Carter?" Wilson called.

Major Carter looked up from an open control panel. Teal'c could see the crystals within it were damaged. "The pel'tac is a mess, but there should be some replacement crystals up there. I'm hoping that will be enough to get the systems back online." She glanced over her shoulder to Lieutenant Simmons. "Graham? Anything?"

He was definitely smiling when he removed his head from where it had been buried in an open panel. "I've got flashing lights over here, Major, so I must be doing something right."

"Teal'c, do you know anything about these ships?"

"I am capable of piloting such a vessel, Major Carter."

"That's not what I asked. Do you know anything about the computer systems? Are they the same as the systems on a cargo ship?"

Teal'c nodded, but he was uncertain. Such knowledge was forbidden to Jaffa. "I believe so, but I cannot say for certain," he reported honestly. "Even as first prime of Apophis, I was not permitted access to such things."

He could see her disappointment and felt it keenly.

"Okay. Well, Lieutenant, try to get that console online and get Teal'c access. He can read Goa'uld more quickly than the rest of us. Teal'c, once we have access to the data banks, I need to know as soon as possible if there's anything here of use to us."

Once again, Teal'c bowed his head. "Very well."

* * *

Sam stood up, rubbing her back tiredly. What a fantastic opportunity this ship could be. The damage to the pel'tac was all external: the alkesh certainly wasn't spaceworthy at the moment, but it looked repairable. She watched Teal'c and Simmons working on the computer and smiled. Taking out Tanith had given Teal'c a definite ego-boost. He was practically radiating smug superiority. She looked down at the display she had been working on and shook her head.

"Simmons."

"Major?"

"Break out the MRE's. Everybody, take five. We've been at this for hours and I for one need to take a break. I'm going cross-eyed scanning these translations."

"Cross-eyed?" Teal'c raised a concerned eyebrow.

Sam smiled. She was getting a handle on when he was kidding and when not. "It's an expression, Teal'c. Means I can't concentrate any more. I've been working on this one passage that mentioned time distortion effects, but the data is so fragmented I can't make any sense of it."

"Perhaps I can assist you" Teal'c offered. "I am not tired."

Sam slumped in frustration. "That good old Jaffa physiology. Sure, Teal'c, go ahead. Maybe that's not what it's about at all. Could be Tanith's shopping list." She laughed, but it ended in a yawn. Never mind food, she needed a few hours sleep.

Or some more help. There was a ton of data in the computer and all of it needed translating and correlating. Her knowledge of the Goa'uld language was better than most, but still limited. The work would go a lot faster if they had someone who could do the translation and correlation in one go...

"Dad!"

"Major?" Simmons looked puzzled for a moment but then his expression cleared. "Good idea, Major. He's the guy for this job, alright. Want me to get on the horn to the SGA?"

Sam's gaze focussed on him for a moment. He was tucking into his MRE as if he hadn't seen food for a week, but he didn't seem tired. "Okay, Lieutenant. Finish up and then you and Wilson head to the gate. Stay alert out there: there could be stray Jaffa we don't know about."

The two men finished off their rations then scrambled out of the alkesh and headed for the stargate. It wouldn't take them long. The gate was only half a klick away, across the plain. Colonel Kovacek wouldn't have a problem with calling the Tok'Ra for her; O'Neill was less predictable. Would he be back from Earth yet? They would certainly get through this job a lot faster if there were two Carters on the case...

Sam put her MRE down and closed her eyes — just for a moment, she told herself — and promptly fell asleep.

* * *

She woke with Teal'c's jacket over her. Slipping the jacket off, she looked around, bleary-eyed. Her father was leaning over the console where she had been working earlier. How long had she been asleep? Must have been a couple of hours, at least. Shit.

"Dad?"

"Hi, Sam. You looked like you needed the sleep, so I didn't wake you."

"I wasn't going to — " She shrugged inwardly, giving up. "Have you managed to make any sense of all that?"

"A little. I'm impressed you got as much out as you did. Most of this is encrypted."

Well, that explained a few things. Sam nodded, getting to her feet. She watcher her father work for a few moments. Probably no one else would have noticed the small signs of stress, but Sam knew her dad. Something he had found worried him. "Dad?"

"I can't tell you much yet. You were right about a reference to time distortion effects: there's something in here about a related experiment." He sighed heavily, straightening as he turned away from the console. "Look, Sam, I've got a proposition for you. This data needs a more thorough decryption than I can do here, alone. We've got the people who can do that, you don't."

"We'll welcome any help you can give us..."

"Yeah, that's not quite my point. Look, how about if you let me extract the intel for our people to work on, and you claim the ship? It looks salvageable and I can send a couple of our engineers to help you put it back together."

Sam was right. Her dad was worried about something and he wasn't going to tell her what. Offering to give the SGA Goa'uld technology? The rash and inexperienced Tau'ri? She glanced around to check none of her team were within earshot. "Dad, what aren't you telling me?"

"Damn it, Sam, I forgot how well you know me."

"So tell me."

"I can't. It's not because I don't want to. Right now, I'm honestly not sure what we have. I just know Selmak is having a heart attack over this stuff."

She hadn't expected that. The admission was shocking. Evidently Sam's feelings showed on her face, because her father answered the unspoken thought.

"Yeah. He's _not_ sharing."

"That bad?"

Jacob hesitated. "More important than bad, I think. I know this is General O'Neill's call, not yours, but do you think he'll go for it?"

Would Jack make a deal with the Tok'Ra? Maybe. The ship was important to them... "I think so, but he's..." Then her brain caught up with her ears. "_General_ O'Neill?"

Jacob grinned. "Apparently. He got back to the SGA just before I did."

"Wow, that's great. After everything that's happened lately..."

"Sam. The ship. You were saying?"

"Oh. Um...yeah, I think he'll be happy to take your help getting this thing off the ground, but he'll want to know what's in that data, too."

"I'm sorry, Sam. That's the deal. Our help with the ship in exchange for the information. Maybe once we know exactly what is here we can let you in on it... All I know right now is it's big."

She frowned. Understanding the Tok'Ra reticence about sharing intel didn't make it any less frustrating, _especially_ when it came from her own father. But they really needed this ship. "Okay. I'll go radio the general." She headed out of the ship, as eager to pass on her congratulations as she was to get O'Neill's okay on her father's offer.

* * *

Watching his daughter go, Jacob wiped a hand over his face. He hadn't felt this uncomfortable since he first blended with Selmak. The symbiot was trying to hide information from him; that wasn't really possible and the result was as confusing as things could get.

«_Selmak, come on. What is it that has you so_...»

«_The reference in the file to Anubis. You wouldn't believe how much trouble the Tok'Ra will be in if he has somehow returned. He should be dead. Did you take note of the references to Earth?_»

«_Of course I did. That's why I made the bargain with Sam. There's no way anyone in the stargate program can know about this, at least not yet. I understand that_.»

«_Good. Yes, let them have the ship. Hopefully their mistakes with the X-301 will make them more cautious this time_.»

«_Let's hope. We'd better get back to that data_...»

Selmak didn't waste time telling him to go ahead; he just shut up and let Jacob work.

When Sam returned to the ship it was with good news.

"The general agreed with your proposal in principle, but he insisted you return to Revanna via the SGA. He wants a word."

"I thought he might." Jacob stood up, stretching the aches out of his back and shoulders. He'd had to download the data directly from the internal crystal port, the external connections being shot to hell. It made for an awkward position, but his joints shouldn't be aching like this. Perhaps Selmak was so distracted by this intel he wasn't paying as much attention to Jacob's body. It wasn't important. He pocketed the data crystals. "I'm ready to go. You coming back with, or do you want to hang around until the engineers come through?"

Sam smiled, cocking a very determined eyebrow. "You've got to be kidding. The general will bust my ass if I leave this thing unguarded. We've finally got our hands on what will be a fully functional Goa'uld mid-range bomber, and you think I'm gonna park it and go shopping? I can't even lock it up!" Her grin got wider. "Besides, Dad, you know me and new toys."

Jacob laughed, giving his daughter a parting hug. "Far be it from me to part you from your first love. Enjoy."

Feeling a little better — _God bless his optimistic, effervescent girl!_ — Jacob set out for the stargate, the precious data crystals safe in his possession.


	16. The Mission

Daniel was summoned to the embarkation room and hurried to obey. He had heard the alarm signalling an off-world activation. It was an unscheduled arrival, and for him to be called, the IDC must have signalled that the visitor came from the Tok'Ra. That alone was cause for concern: for the Tok'Ra to bypass the protocol of travelling to Earth via Stargate Alpha the problem had to be urgent.

He reached the embarkation room just as Jacob Carter stepped onto the ramp. Jacob's eyes met Daniel's his expression grave. He came down the ramp quickly.

«_This is it, my friend_.»

"Daniel, I'm afraid your holiday is over. We need Entar for a mission."

Daniel had been expecting it. In the year since he had become Entar's host, the Tok'Ra had suffered heavy losses, and, as Ren'al intimated to the Council a year earlier, the political situation among the Goa'uld was changing rapidly. It was inevitable that at some point, Entar would be needed. The news wasn't a shock. In truth, the summons was overdue.

He nodded. "I'm ready. Let's go to the briefing room and you can explain."

* * *

Daniel thought General Vidrine would insist on being present, but the general simply asked him for a report after the meeting. Jacob hadn't objected, so Daniel agreed to that. Left alone with Jacob, Daniel took a seat at the conference table.

"What's going on, Jacob?"

"When you came to Vorash last year, do you remember a report of a covert attack on Yu's forces?"

Daniel frowned. "I remember. That wasn't the Tok'Ra..."

"No. You've been out of the loop, Daniel, and now I have to bring you up to speed real fast. So listen. An unknown Goa'uld has been attacking each of the System Lords. Each attack has been like the one on Yu: a single strike by an unseen enemy."

«_So what's the problem?_» Entar interrupted, "The more chaos among the system lords, the better. Yet you speak as though this is a bad thing."

"Three weeks ago, Baal lost two ha'tak in battle with this unknown Goa'uld. Councillor Ren'al was aboard one of those ships."

"She is dead?" Daniel shared Entar's sadness at the news. Entar and Ren'al had never been friends, but she had his respect.

Jacob nodded. "We believe so. We received one final transmission from Ren'al. She used the ha'tak's systems to send the message." It was a serious breach of Tok'Ra protocol, because a transmission on a Goa'uld frequency could be traced. Ren'al must have been desperate to get the message to the Tok'Ra. Jacob placed a recording device on the table between them. "This is all we were able to salvage of Ren'al's transmission."

They listened. The transmission was audio-only, full of background static despite having been cleaned up. Much of the message was garbled or missing. Daniel could only decipher a few words of the rest: attack — surrender — ancient — warn — ineffective — down — Tok'Ra. There was nothing that made sense, but Ren'al's panic came through more clearly than words. Something had frightened her badly. The transmission ended abruptly, mid-word. They were listening to the last moments of someone's life.

Daniel swallowed. "That's all there is?"

Jacob nodded gravely. "Two days ago, SG-1 killed a Goa'uld in battle — "

"I haven't heard anything about that!"

"I know. We asked General O'Neill to keep the details need-to-know. I can't say more about it here, either. It's essential what we learned be kept secret as long as possible. We believe there's a connection between Ren'al's message and the Goa'uld killed by SG-1. And yesterday, Aldwin returned to Revanna with a message from Ren'al that she sent two days before she died. The message consisted of two stargate addresses, nothing else."

"So naturally, you investigated those planets."

"The first address is Alkar, in Cronos' territory. The second planet...it's not there any more."

"Not there?" Jacob couldn't mean what it sounded like...

"The planet itself is a gas giant. The stargate _should_ have been on the second moon, but the moon isn't there. There's nothing but rubble." Jacob placed a holo-projector next to the recording device. "We used a UAV borrowed from SG Alpha to recon Alkar." The recording was projected into the air above the device.

The UAV camera flew from the stargate across the barren landscape of the planet. From Entar's memory Daniel knew that Alkar was an uninhabited world. Too close to its sun to support animal life naturally, with very little water present, the planet was almost entirely desert. For any race to settle there, they would need technology sufficiently advanced to overcome the hostile conditions of the planet. The UAV image confirmed Entar's memory: he saw nothing but sand and rock for a long time. A side display showed readings for other environmental details: surface temperature, gravity, the levels of naqadah present, and radiation. It all seemed very ordinary.

Until the UAV flew over a building. It circled, flying closer, and it was clear the building was of Goa'uld design. As the UAV flew lower a single Jaffa came into view. The recording ended abruptly.

"The UAV was shot down," Jacob explained, unnecessarily. He reversed the recording slowly and froze the display as the Jaffa appeared.

Daniel felt his heart _clench_ and his pulse accelerate. Entar's emotion tore into him. _Fear_ wasn't a strong enough term. Daniel knew what was causing it: the sight of the Jaffa on the recording. But he couldn't tell why. It was hard to breathe. Their emotions were shared; he couldn't fight Entar on this.

«_Entar...what?_»

"Daniel, are you alright?" Jacob asked him.

"I..." Daniel tried. «_Entar! Calm down and help me_.» He controlled his breathing with an effort. "Entar's scared. I can't tell why." He looked more closely at the image of the Jaffa, hoping Entar's memory would provide the answer.

The Jaffa wore the symbol of Cronos on his brow. That couldn't be it; it was no surprise. No...it was the Jaffa's armour that had caught Entar's attention. That was nothing a Jaffa in Cronos' service would wear. It was the design favoured by Anubis.

«_It can't be. Anubis is dead_.»

"Daniel, we need someone to check out the gilash'ad. If the Goa'uld behind this is who we suspect, Entar is the only one who might have a chance to pull this off."

"Anubis is dead," Daniel said, repeating Entar's thought.

"So we all believed. The evidence says otherwise. If it's not Anubis, perhaps Nebhet is behind this."

Daniel felt a wild surge of exhilaration, instantly stifled by Entar. «_That was weird. What's going on, Entar?_»

Jacob was still speaking. "...urgent, Daniel. I realise Entar must be scared shitless by this, but he also knows he's the only one for this mission."

«_He is right_.» Entar's confirmation was very reluctant.

«_Okay, you can explain all this soon. In the meantime stay calm. You're hurting me_.»

«_I'm sorry_...»

«_No need for that. Just work with me here, will you_?»

Daniel took a deep breath, feeling Entar's struggle to relax. "What's the mission?"

"I'll give you all the details at Revanna."

«_That means they don't want the Tau'ri to know_.»

Daniel nodded. "Okay. But if you're thinking we'll leave at once, you can think again."

"There isn't time..."

"_Make_ time, Jacob. Get it through your head that I am not going to abandon my life at a moment's notice. You're asking me to go on a mission that could very well get me and Entar killed. The least you can do is give me time to say goodbye to the woman I love."

* * *

Daniel hesitated at the infirmary door, looking for Janet. She was with a patient, and for a few moments he stayed where he was, watching her treating the man's burned arm.

Daniel loved her. He had loved her for years, far longer than they had been together. It had never been a grand passion — if anyone was that, for him, it was Sha're — but theirs was a good relationship.

Janet was older than Daniel, but the age difference never mattered. As he watched her work, he was aware, again, of the lines of stress around her mouth and eyes...she led a hard life. She was a single mother, and as fond as Daniel was of Cassie, he knew raising a teenager wasn't easy. As a doctor Janet worked long hours, but the work didn't stimulate her in the way it used to. The transfer of the bulk of the stargate program to the SGA had been bad for her. If Janet had requested a transfer to Alpha she would have been welcomed, but her responsibility to Cassie kept her on Earth, patching up minor burns and the results of laboratory accidents, instead of the exciting variety of work she had before the plague.

Their relationship had moved naturally from friends to lovers, and eventually settled into a comfortable routine that was nearly a marriage, though neither of them wanted to make that commitment. Daniel's blending with Entar had been a bump, nothing more; she had taken a while to accept Entar as part of Daniel, but once she had, they were happy together, the three of them. It was comfortable.

Now the outside world was crashing in on his comfortable world, and Daniel knew Jacob had been right: the past year had been a holiday. Would he be able to come back to this? Would he want to?

«_My friend, if anything goes wrong for us on this mission, you'll appreciate what you have here a lot more_.»

«_I know_.»

He walked into the infirmary. "Jan, I'm sorry to interrupt, but I need a moment."

Janet turned to him, a smile on her lips that faded when she saw his face. "Alright." She left a nurse to finish with her patient and led Daniel into her office. Closing the door behind him, she said, "What's wrong, Daniel?"

He forced a smile. "Is it that obvious?"

"I heard Jacob Carter was here. Now you show up demanding to talk to me and looking like death. _What's wrong?_"

"Jan, I have to go with Jacob to Revanna. Today." There wasn't any way to soften it.

Her face paled. "For good?" she whispered.

"Oh, my love." Daniel took her into his arms, not caring that they were at work. "Jan, it's one mission. But I can't lie to you. From what Jacob told me, it's possible I won't be coming back." She began to draw away from him, and he added quickly, "Not because it's dangerous." It would be, but he didn't need to mention that. "Because where there's one mission, there's another and another. They need Entar. And me."

"Why you?" Janet's arms held him close to her.

She was a soldier; she knew the answer to that. "Jan, I'm a member of the Tok'Ra. This is what they...we...do. This mission has a greater chance of success if Entar goes. I can't refuse."

"I wouldn't ask you to." Janet drew back, raising a hand to his face. "It's just sudden, that's all."

"For me too, Jan." He leaned into her touch, then took her face between his hands and kissed her. For a few moments nothing else mattered. Then he had to let her go. "Maybe it's better this way. You know, quick, no long, drawn out goodbyes."

"You're really leaving? Now?"

"I have to." He kissed her again. "Will you be okay?"

She nodded. "I'll be fine. We knew this was coming."

"I'll be gone a couple of weeks. I'll be back after the mission, I promise. But if I'm right, I might not be able to stay long. Things are happening out there."

"I understand."

"Say goodbye to Cassie for me."

"I will."

There were tears in Daniel's eyes, blurring his vision. He was afraid — Entar's reaction made him afraid — that this _was_ goodbye. There was so much he wanted to say, but there was no more time. He traced the shape of Janet's jaw with his fingertips. "I love you, Jan. I _will_ be back."

* * *

When the Goa'uld reigned on Earth, Anubis was one of the greatest of them. In the legendary rivalry between Ra and Apophis, he was the only Goa'uld lord who managed to maintain a tentative alliance with both; a position that greatly increased his power. When the Goa'uld empire spread further out into the galaxy, that power had given him a strong base from which to build an empire of his own. He was one of the most powerful System Lords, and, to the Tok'Ra, one of the worst.

More than a thousand Earth years ago, Anubis and his queen Nebhet made a critical mistake. Only those who held the rank of system lord at the time knew the details. The Tok'Ra knew only that their "crime" was too much for even the Goa'uld to stomach, and both were banished from the galaxy. Not satisfied with that, some of the system lords launched an attack against Anubis as he attempted to leave. As far as anyone knew, both Anubis and Nebhet were killed in that attack.

All this was elementary knowledge, just the surface of what Daniel knew from Entar's memories. It was Entar's personal connection to all this that disturbed him. Entar knew more about Anubis and his queen than any of the Tok'Ra, because his Goa'uld genetic memory came from them.

«_Your parents?_»

«_Not in your human sense. But, biologically, yes_.»

«_So why were you so afraid of Anubis being back?_»

«_If Anubis has returned, it is not to rejoin the system lords. For any Goa'uld to gain supremacy over the others would be a disaster. For Anubis to do so would be the end for all of us_.»

Entar wasn't exaggerating; Daniel could feel it. The facts to back up Entar's fears still eluded him, however.

«_Are you sure about this mission?_»

«_I am. Though it's not what I would have chosen for our first mission together_.»

About that, at least, they agreed.

* * *

"Why the haste, Selmak?" Entar demanded, as they walked quickly through the tunnels. "Surely the mission will be most successful if I have time to prepare?"

"There is no time," Selmak insisted. "You will be impersonating a Goa'uld who is expected to reach Alkar two days from now. We believe you can afford to be late, but you will have to prepare en route."

"_What_ Goa'uld? And what happens if he arrives before me?"

"Tanith, and he will not. He is dead."

Tanith. The name came as a shock to both of them. «_Tanith? That's_...»

«_Yes_.» "He is dead? What happened?"

"He fell in battle with SG-1."

«_Teal'c_,» Daniel realised.

Selmak went on, "His ship was salvaged by us..."

Entar interrupted angrily, "Did you even try to save the host?" His anger came mostly from guilt over his own part in the sacrifice of Tanith's host.

Selmak shook his head: no. "There was nothing we could do for Hebron. Given what we have learned, it's better that way."

The explanation was in Entar's mind before Daniel asked for it. The Tok'Ra needed the information in Tanith's memory and would have been ruthless in obtaining it. Freeing Hebron from Tanith had become the one thing they could _not_ do. They might torture the Goa'uld for information. They might even kill it and hope they could then extract the knowledge from the host, who would then own the Goa'uld's memories in the same way Sam owned Jolinar's.

Daniel recoiled from the suggestion. «_That man gave his life for the Tok'Ra_...»

«_As Selmak said, it's better this way. We had no right to sacrifice Hebron in the first place_.»

Selmak was still speaking. "From the databanks on Tanith's ship we learned his mission and destination. It was a lucky co-incidence that it fits the warning sent to us by Ren'al. We have kept this information as secret as possible: at Stargate Alpha only SG-1 and General O'Neill are aware of it, and within the Tok'Ra only the Council have been told. There is no way for the Goa'uld he serves to know Tanith is dead."

"You know his mission and destination, but not which Goa'uld he serves?"

A wry smile from Selmak. "A lot of the data was lost. It's all we have, Entar."

"I don't like it."

"None of us do."

«_Whoa, wait a minute! If they're expecting Tanith, what if they know his face? I don't exactly look like him_.»

«_Then I will truthfully report the battle with SG-1 and explain that I was forced by my injuries to take a different host. A simple deception, my friend_.»

«_We don't know his rank, or whether Tanith knows anyone on Alkar, or when he's expected to report back_...»

«_Daniel, I've gone on missions before with less intelligence than this_.»

«_I don't like going in blind, Entar_.»

«_If you don't want to do this, I'll tell Selmak. We can withdraw_.»

«_No. I'll do it_.» Daniel did have doubts, but he wouldn't chicken out of this.

Entar nodded. "What is my objective? Sabotage?"

"Whatever they are doing, it's capable of destroying an entire planet. Sabotage could be a really bad idea, Entar. Your primary objective is intelligence. Any further action will be up to you, when you're there."

"Sounds reasonable. When do I leave?"

"Your tel'tac is ready..."

«_Tel'tac? What's wrong with going by stargate? I can't fly one of those things!_»

«_Of course you can. You know everything I do_.»

"...But you'll need to change into something more Goa'uld-like than Air Force BDUs," Selmak added.

* * *

Disguising himself as a Goa'uld was unsettling, to say the least. The costume — it was easier to think of it that way — Entar chose called back unpleasant memories of P3R-636. A simple suit resembling a karate gi without the belt was covered by black and silver robes that fell in several layers to the floor. The collar was high and flared, about a hand's width away from his face. The costume was functional as well: the numerous folds concealed several pieces of equipment, including a communication device, and the high collar would hide the fact that Daniel's neck bore no Goa'uld entry scar.

Daniel wore his hair long because Entar liked it that way, but he generally kept it tied back, conscious of how out-of-place he looked in the military environment of the SGC. He was always out of place, he couldn't help that, but small gestures helped. Entar untied his hair and left it loose. Daniel had the distinct impression that he wouldn't recognise himself in a mirror.

And then there were the final touches that would complete the disguise. The ribbon device fit easily over Daniel's hand and wrist, but he wasn't happy with wearing it.

«_I don't know about this_...»

«_It's not optional, my friend. We may need a weapon and this is the least conspicuous_.»

«_I don't know if I can do this again_...»

«_I can, if I must_.»

They were ready.

For the duration of the mission, Entar would retain control of their shared body. It was essential, to maintain the deception. Even if they were alone, they couldn't risk giving Daniel control: the brief moment it took for them to exchange dominance could be a fatal distraction, not to mention a sure sign that they were Tok'Ra and not Goa'uld. Daniel had never been a passenger in his body for so long, and it made him edgy.

Gate travel was much quicker. Their journey by tel'tac took two days. It gave them plenty of time to review the mission data Jacob left for them. Time enough to memorise most of it. The survey of the destroyed planet was most disturbing...all the more so because the data made no logical sense. A force great enough to turn an entire planet into rubble should leave traces. There should be something that would reveal what had happened there. There was nothing.

Reaching Alkar, they surveyed the moon from orbit before landing. The target was clearly visible: a building of Goa'uld design about the size of a sports stadium on Earth. It was the only sign of life.

«_Where's the stargate?_»

«_Some distance away. The gilash'ad is well hidden._»

«_Gilash'ad...laboratory? You think they're conducting experiments down there?_»

«_What else?_» Entar began to move the tel'tac into the atmosphere.

«_We're not using the rings?_»

«_Certainly not. I am a Goa'uld of high rank here to inspect and evaluate the work being done. I will arrive openly, as befits my status_.» There was a peculiar distance in Entar's recitation, a sense of him consciously "getting into character".

«_You're planning to enjoy this?_» Daniel asked him worriedly.

«_There is no need for concern, my friend. I won't harm you or take on too much of the role_.»

Reassured — Entar knew what he was thinking before Daniel did! — Daniel relaxed, giving his body and his trust completely to his closest friend.

Entar landed the tel'tac a short distance from the building's only entrance, right out in the open as he had promised. He took a few moments to secure the tel'tac, then walked out onto the sand. Daniel had never held his own body the way Entar did then: his shoulders stiff and his head high, feigning an arrogance neither of them felt.

There were four Jaffa on guard; two of them approached the tel'tac. Entar challenged them before either Jaffa could speak. One was a touch slow to respond. Entar raised his hand, sending a blast of energy from the ribbon device. Daniel silenced his instinctive protest, aware that Entar had deliberately checked his force. It was a necessary part of their act. As his eyes swept over the other Jaffa they each knelt. Entar walked past them without another word.

* * *

The gilash'ad was a closed structure. On the outside, it looked like...like Atlantis, was the thought that came to Daniel's mind. A shining pyramid, many times larger than anything in Egypt, surrounded by a wall. The colour was darkened bronze, and it seemed to glow from within in the desert sunlight. The single entrance was closed, but opened immediately to Entar's touch. A short, narrow passageway led into a vaulted hall, unlike anything Daniel had seen before. Goa'uld architecture always looked familiar to Daniel: so much of it was reflected in early Earth cultures. This, however, was utterly alien. The architecture played tricks on the eye, so at first sight the hall seemed far larger than it was.

«_I feel like Darth Vader walking into the Death Star_.»

«_Who?_»

Daniel shared the memory with Entar, uncomfortably aware of some of the parallels between the movie and their present mission. Not that he fancied himself as Luke Skywalker! Entar grasped the memory quickly.

«_What a fascinating idea. You never told me movies could be useful._» The thought was amused, and slightly mischievous.

«_Wait a moment. What are you up to_...»

"You must be Tanith."

The Goa'uld woman hadn't been there a moment before. Entar turned to face her, a complex of emotions filling him when he heard Tanith's name. This was not going to be an easy deception. Daniel tried to steady Entar. Distracted by Entar's feelings, Daniel missed the beginning of the exchange. Entar had said something that she wasn't happy to hear.

Her eyes flashed. "Our lord should be pleased with our progress! We can do no more with these resources."

Daniel felt Entar's relief at the word _lord_: it confirmed for him that the Goa'uld behind this was not Nebhet. He gave no outward sign of his feelings.

Entar looked at her coldly. "If you are willing to dictate how our lord should feel, I hope you will be as comfortable explaining that to him in person."

She took a step back. "Anubis is coming here?"

"He is less than pleased with your work."

"But we really have done everything possible. These things take time – "

"You will explain it to me in detail, Jar'ok. I am here to put you back on schedule."

It was then that Daniel recognised what Entar was doing. If he had control of his own mouth he would have laughed out loud.

Jar'ok looked slightly relieved. "Rooms have been prepared for you..."

Entar cut off her words with a gesture. "No doubt such comforts encourage your laziness. I will see your work. Now."

Abashed, she gestured to the left. "This way, Lord Tanith."

«_What the hell are you doing?_»

«_Carrying out our mission_.»

«_By pretending to be Darth Vader?_»

«_Why not? It worked_.»

Daniel had to admit that was true. «_Remind me never to let you watch_ Rambo.»

«_Why not?_»

«_Never mind! You scared Jar'ok to death. How did you know?_»

«_I know Anubis_.»

Jar'ok, in common with most Goa'uld hosts was – not beautiful, but certainly physically arresting. She was almost Daniel's height, with an athletic body and dark, almost copper-coloured skin. She wore loose white pants made of a fabric that clung to her legs, outlining every muscle, and a jewelled top that emphasised her breasts and wasp-waist. Her hair was styled in hundreds of tiny braids, caught in a vulture-style headdress heavy with jewels. She wore little in the way of cosmetics: she didn't need them. Her features were strong: thin brows arched above striking golden eyes, high cheekbones and full lips. They were all attributes that the average man would have considered sexy, but to Daniel the combination was striking, but not attractive.

«_Because she is Goa'uld_,» Entar suggested.

«_Perhaps_,» Daniel admitted, thinking of Hathor...and of Sha're...and of Sarah.

Jar'ok led them through an archway to a small, enclosed chamber, where transport rings took them down into an underground tunnel. Entar looks around them, noting machinery generating air. The tunnel was completely sealed. A panel of lights on the wall measured the levels of air, temperature...and radiation. Trying to be casual, Entar asked her how much radiation her work was generating.

"The levels are not a concern," she answered.

Daniel felt Entar's uneasiness. «_You don't believe her?_»

«_I do. But what is of no concern to her may be a problem for us_.»

«_So let's get the hell out of here!_»

«_Not so fast, my friend. We have time_.» Entar looked more closely at the readouts, confirming the radiation level. «_A measure of radiation that would be harmful to an unblended human is safe for us. Higher exposure may take some time to heal, but it will heal. But these levels are dangerous even for me_.»

«_So why is Jar'ok okay and we're not?_»

«_She will spend time in a sarcophagus to reverse the effects_.»

That was definitely not an option for them. «_Does that mean she'll be expecting us to do the same?_» Daniel asked worriedly.

«_Probably. Do not be concerned_.»

As they neared the end of the tunnel they could see a bluish light ahead, not unlike the light of an active stargate. The tunnel opened out into a large, domed chamber. This was the laboratory they had come to find.

Daniel had no idea what they were looking at. He had the impression of something like a giant beach ball: multicoloured lights floating around a glowing blue sphere. When he looked more closely he corrected that impression: the central shape wasn't a sphere. It was more organic, roughly spherical but constantly shifting around a dark core, as if whatever made up the shape was constantly both attracted and repelled by the darkness. The lights on the outside were constantly moving: a spiral dance.

«_How romantic_,» Entar teased. His own impression was far more clinical: a high energy containment field surrounding a core of something he couldn't immediately identify.

Jar'ok began to talk, explaining to "Tanith" why she needed more time to complete the experiments. Entar wasn't listening. He examined the data screens as she talked, learning from that instead of from her. This was the main objective of the mission: find out what is happening here and report back to the Tok'Ra. He learned a great deal.

Entar's growing fear communicated itself to Daniel, who was on edge anyway because of the radiation.

Abruptly, Entar announced he had heard enough and walked out of the laboratory. Jar'ok did not follow. When the rings took them back to the surface, Daniel began to relax.

«_Our exposure to radiation was not serious_.» Entar assured him.

«_But what's going on down there is_.»

«_Extremely_.»

* * *

The experiment, Daniel understood – at least as much as Entar understood it. He understood why it was dangerous, and didn't need to learn any more to convince him it had to be stopped. What he didn't understand was how this could be used as a weapon. Clearly, the experiment had huge destructive power, but if that were the purpose of it, there would be no need for further experimentation. They would be ready. So what was the point, if not destruction?

«_My friend, you underestimate the ability of the Goa'uld to adapt and develop technology_.» Entar was offended by what he saw as Daniel's simplistic view of the situation. «_The Goa'uld have advanced to their current state because they have the ability to transform the technologies of others. Your own people have a similar talent._»

Daniel couldn't help laughing inwardly at Entar's affront.

«_You use the word _parasite_ as if you mean _animal._ The Goa'uld are an intelligent race_.»

«_I know._»

Their choices were fairly bleak. They could leave the gilash'ad now and report back to the Tok'Ra. The High Council would make the decisions, but Entar would be able to return, perhaps with backup, to destroy the laboratory. The problem with that was twofold: leaving to contact the Tok'Ra would blow Entar's cover as "Tanith", and it was possible Jar'ok's experiments would succeed before they could return.

The alternative was sabotage. That would be dangerous. Extremely dangerous, given that they had a missing planet where the last gilash'ad had been.

«_It would be worth the risk_,» Daniel believed.

«_It would be, if we were sure destroying this place would end it. But I know Anubis. He likes to have contingency plans for everything. It is likely he sent his scientists to several locations, instructing each to perform the same experiments_.»

«_You mean there's another gilash'ad somewhere?_»

«_At least one. Perhaps more_.»

«_Then our priority has to be to warn the Tok'Ra. And Earth_.»

«_I agree. But a vague warning will serve no one_.»

So they decided to remain at the gilash'ad. They would continue with the deception, and wait until they had all of the information they needed. Then they would sabotage the experiment and escape.

* * *

Two days into their mission, Daniel had a much clearer idea what was happening. He didn't have Entar's intuitive understanding of Goa'uld technology, but he was learning to access Entar's knowledge directly, without having to question Entar to understand everything. It was a little like he imagined amnesia would feel: the knowledge was there in his brain, but he had no recollection of having _learned_ it. So there were no associations: he didn't know what he knew until he needed it. It was like having a whole library in his head...but no indexes.

What was clear to both of them was the experiment could not be allowed to succeed. The weapon they were developing would be devastating.

The difficult decision was still what to do about it. It was essential that the Tok'Ra («_and Earth_,» Daniel insisted) be warned about what Anubis was trying to do. But they still didn't have enough information. They knew Alkar wasn't the first gilash'ad to experiment in this way, and Entar was certain there was at least one other. Destroying this place would achieve nothing if the experiments continued elsewhere – a location they had no hope of discovering. Entar used every opportunity to access the databanks and search for anything that would lead them to the other locations. He had found nothing. Jar'ok had the information they needed, but he couldn't ask her directly, because Tanith would have no need to ask. He could only try to steer their conversations in the right direction and hope she would let something slip.

While Entar talked with Jar'ok, Daniel observed her through his eyes. She was Goa'uld to her core, focussed on her ambition. She was determined to succeed in her experiments, not for scientific interest, but for the power and influence she would gain. Jar'ok was also less than subtle in displaying a sexual interest in Entar. Daniel found it repulsive. Entar simply ignored it, telling Daniel her interest wasn't genuine. «_She seeks power over Tanith, nothing more. She believes if I take her to my bed, she will gain something from it_.»

«_Please tell me you won't do it._»

Daniel sensed Entar's hesitation in his response: «_I do not intend to, my friend, but you must know I will do anything I must to ensure the success of our mission. If it comes to that_...»

«_No! You can't use me that way!_» Daniel's own associations were too powerful; he couldn't approach this with Entar's detachment. Just the thought of it scared him.

«_If the alternative is allowing Anubis to succeed_,» Entar told him bluntly, «_I certainly can. Billions of lives are at stake here, my friend. Is it not worth a little discomfort?_»

Daniel knew that if he objected strongly enough, Entar would do as he asked. Entar's words stopped him. The price of his integrity was a high one. Would he be able to do it – or let Entar do it – if it came to that?

On the third day of their mission, their time ran out.

Jar'ok reported the experiment a success. Entar examined her results, trying to commit the information to memory. She was eager to begin the next phase of the project, which involved using transport rings as part of the experiment.

Daniel realised what that meant a second ahead of Entar.

«_I know, my friend. Try to stay calm_.» Entar reminded Jar'ok of the disaster that befell the other gilash'ad and ordered her to re-examine the data before continuing. It was a poor attempt to stall, but it allowed him to leave the laboratory.

They were both aware of what had to be done. They reached the generator room without incident. Jar'ok was the only Goa'uld on the planet. She had a number of Jaffa under her command and some human slaves. If they succeeded in destroying the gilash'ad, those people would die. All of them.

«_Don't think about it, my friend. We cannot save them_.»

«_I know, Entar. I accepted it when I agreed to this mission, but I don't have to like it_.»

Entar set the generator to slowly overload. The gradual build-up of energy in the generator's core would be less noticeable and would give them time to escape.

«_Entar, wait! We don't have the location of the other gilash'ad_.»

«_The information is useless if we don't live to share it_.»

«_We have an hour before the generator goes critical. Try_.»

Entar complied, hurrying to the nearby control room to make one last attempt to access the data. Getting access to the databanks was easy. The problem was the sheer amount of information stored in there. Very little of it was useful to them. Entar scrolled through cell after cell of the data, as quickly as he could.

«_Entar, wait. Look there_.»

Entar looked where Daniel indicated. «_Well done!_» He accessed the cell and stood back as a star map appeared around them. The star map was huge, spanning three galaxies. «_So that's where Anubis has been for the last thousand years!_»

«_Would you let Anubis go and find that damned lab!_»

«_My apology._» Entar's hands moved over the controls, sure of himself now. In minutes he had what they needed. Daniel was frightened by what he read. There were six gilash'ad, not the three Entar anticipated. Each was assigned a different aspect of the experiment. It added up to a terrifying picture. Daniel concentrated on committing the stargate addresses to memory.

"What are you doing?"

Entar spun around at Jar'ok's peremptory demand. He raised his hand, sending a blast of energy from the ribbon device. Jar'ok's body was thrown against the wall by the device. She lay still only for a moment.

Entar raised his hand again as she began to rise. Coldly, he leaned over her and activated the device. Daniel stifled his shocked protest. He shared Entar's hatred for the Goa'uld. He couldn't help seeing Jar'ok as a woman, but he knew she was not. As for her host...

Oh, god, was this what Sha're felt when Amonet had him under this device? The instant Daniel thought of the host he could feel her. A scream of infinite terror in his mind that ended abruptly. Jar'ok was dead.

«_It was necessary_,» Entar apologised.

Daniel knew it was. She would have died when the gilash'ad blew anyway. They left the control room quickly.

Their way to the exit was blocked by three Jaffa. Entar began to raise his hand but the lead Jaffa was quicker. The staff weapon sent Daniel flying backward. Too late, he knew they had badly underestimated Jar'ok. How long had she been suspicious? He couldn't move. It hurt too much.

«_Entar?_»

«_Too late, my friend_.»

* * *

Daniel woke in a dark room. The wound in his side was painful, but it seemed to be healing. The ribbon device was gone from his hand. There had been a second weapon concealed beneath his robe. He wasn't surprised to find that, too, was missing.

«_How much time to we have, Entar?_»

«_If we're still in the gilash'ad, minutes at most. I've done all I can for the wound, my friend. Let's move._»

With difficulty, Daniel stood. He pushed the pain to the back of his mind and headed for the door. It was sealed: no surprise there. There was no other way out.

Where were they? Searching his memory for the layout of the gilash'ad, Daniel tried to figure out how much damage would be done when the generator blew. If they were near the outer wall, there was a chance they might survive the blast.

«_Unless the whole planet blows up_.»

«_Optimist_.»

«_I'm sorry, my friend_.»

«_Let's not discuss blame, Entar. We should concentrate on _– »

The sound of the explosion was deafening. Instinctively, Daniel ran for the far corner of the room. An instant later, the shockwave blasted through the room. Daniel felt a great weight smash into him. There was nothing he could do to save himself. The impact carried him _through_ the wall. A wall that was already collapsing, or he would have died right then.

He hit the ground hard. For a moment, he didn't dare to move as debris fell all around him. Adrenaline flooded him and he scrambled up, staggering away from the gilash'ad.

«_Stop!_»

At Entar's urging Daniel turned around. He saw the gilash'ad burning. But the laboratory itself was far below the ground, and there was no sign of collapse.

«_We must go back, my friend_.»

«_It's suicide! The Tok'Ra need the information we have_.»

«_The tel'tac. We can transmit from there_.»

«_It'll be quicker if you do it, Entar. Take over_.»

The tel'tac was where they left it, not far from the gilash'ad, but far enough to be unaffected by the explosion. Entar sent the transmission quickly: a brief warning and the locations of the other experiments. The explosion was sending up a lot of interference. There was no way to be sure their warning was getting through.

«_If we send the warning from orbit_...»

«_We may not have a chance to return_.»

Daniel was not eager to run back into a burning building, but he was forced to concede Entar was right: they had to be certain the underground laboratory was destroyed. As they left the tel'tac he could see that the lower levels of the gilash'ad were intact. He swore under his breath.

«_Agreed. The Jackal thinks of everything_.»

«_How are we going to get down there? The rings will be gone_.»

«_Use the rings in the tel'tac_.»

The underground ring room was still intact, but the air smelled wrong. The light, too, was strange, and there was a weird kind of static in the air.

«_I don't like this, Entar_.»

«_Nor I_.»

Daniel followed the tunnel toward the laboratory. He was almost there when he heard a secondary explosion above, which was echoed below a moment later. The light ahead flickered and went out. Then it suddenly flared bright.

«_Time to go, my friend_.»

Daniel didn't need to be told. He was already running. He hit the controls for the rings and held his breath, looking back down the tunnel. The rings came down around him. There was a bright flare of light, akin to a Goa'uld shock grenade. Then nothing.


	17. Lost

Daniel's first awareness was of pain. He remembered being wounded by a staff weapon. It hadn't hurt like this before...maybe Entar had helped to dull the pain. Entar!

The shocking awareness that he was alone drowned everything else he felt.

«_Entar?_»

No response.

Entar's subtle presence in Daniel's mind was such a constant to him he never noticed it any longer. Not until it was missing. To wake, alone, was as terrifying as it would be to discover his heart wasn't beating...and could be as dangerous. But Daniel wasn't thinking of his own life just then.

«_ENTAR!_»

A weak thread of awareness came in reply. It was enough to still Daniel's growing panic. His symbiot lived.

«Are you hurt?»

No response. Daniel knew that meant yes. He could do nothing to heal Entar — not the way Entar could heal him — so he made an effort to turn his mind to what he _could_ do to help them both. He opened his eyes and tried to sit up.

It was dark. Night. A glance at the sky confirmed he was on Alkar – at least his memory wasn't faulty. He saw the two moons of Alkar in the sky and the familiar constellations. He looked around himself. The mountain range to the east told him he was not far from the gilash'ad...or, at least, he shouldn't be. But there was no sign of the gilash'ad. No rubble. No smell of smoke. There was no sign of his tel'tac, either. Well, it _was_ night. He could be misjudging the distance. He couldn't remember walking away from the gilash'ad. He couldn't think why he would have left his tel'tac behind. But facts were facts. Here he was.

Entar was his primary concern. Trying to ignore his own pain, Daniel found a comfortable position on the sand. He removed his outer robe and looked it over. It was badly torn. He wrapped what was left of it around his shoulders for warmth. Desert nights could be extremely cold. He remembered freezing nights on Abydos. He tried to relax.

«_Entar?_»

«_I am here, my friend_.» The thought was faint.

Daniel felt overwhelming relief. «_Are you hurt?_»

«_I am. I will recover_.»

«_What can I do?_»

«_Nothing. Only sleep_.»

«_Then rest, Entar. Heal yourself_.» Daniel pulled the robe more tightly around himself and curled up on the sand. He tried to sleep. Eventually, he succeeded.

* * *

It was lucky for Daniel that Alkar had little in the way of indigenous life. Later, he would regret it, but that first morning when he woke, he was grateful for it. He felt overwhelmingly weak. Had there been large predators in this desert, as there were on Earth, he couldn't have defended himself. Dawn brought with it relief from the cold, but little hope. The pain of his wound was worse. He moved his torn robe aside to examine the wound and saw the early signs of infection.

«_Entar?_»

«_I am here_.»

«_Can you tell how bad this is?_»

«_I can heal you now. Don't be concerned_.»

«_Are you sure, Entar? I don't want to drain your strength_.»

«_I am stronger when you are healthy_.»

Daniel looked around them. He estimated the distance between himself and the mountains, then looked for other landmarks. Everything he could see told him he should be very close to the gilash'ad. But there was still no sign of it.

«_What happened? To us...to you?_»

«_It was a wave of energy from the singularity. Jar'ok must have begun her next experiment_.»

«_Why did it hurt you and not me?_»

«_I don't know. It might have been intentional: a weapon designed for use against the Tok'Ra or other Goa'uld_.» Daniel knew Entar didn't really believe that.

«_Where are we?_»

«_We are not where we were. Or perhaps not **when** we were_.»

«_Jar'ok was building a temporal field. Do you really think we could be back in time?_»

«_Anything is possible_.»

«_It would explain why the gilash'ad isn't here_.»

«_There is a stargate on this planet. I suggest we try to find it. But first bind your wound. I'll do what I can to heal you as we walk_.»

Daniel obeyed, tearing the already-ruined robe to make a bandage. He didn't need to question Entar's urgency: they were alone in the desert with no weapon, no food, no water and no shelter. No means of escape except the hope of finding the stargate. No way of knowing exactly what had happened...

«_We are alive, my friend_.»

«_Yes, we are. And we must contact Earth and the Tok'Ra before it's too late to warn them._» He winced as he finished tying the bandage. It hurt like hell, but it was the best he could do. He could walk. «_Which way?_»

«_South_.»

Daniel began to walk.

* * *

The next few days were a nightmare. There was nothing to do except keep walking. The naqadah in the stargate should have made it easy for them to find, but beneath the desert sands there were rich deposits of naqadah, skewing Entar's perception of the element. They knew where the stargate _should_ be, but when they reached that place, on the second day, there was no sign of stargate or DHD.

That was when Entar began to worry. Daniel had been coping well until that point – extremely well, considering he was wounded, starving and slowly dying of heat and thirst. Entar helped him to stay optimistic as well as helping him physically. But the missing stargate changed all that.

Nearly four thousand years before, Entar almost died trying to cross a desert on Earth. The consequences changed his entire life. But before the change had come the endless trek across the sands and it invaded Daniel's memories. Pain. Heat. Thirst. Each new recollection knifed into Daniel's present, making his efforts to go on so much harder. Past and present converged and he was Earth, fleeing the rebel slaves and the Tok'Ra were only a dream. No, that was the past, centuries in the past. He was Daniel Jackson, host to Entar of the Tok'Ra and he had a mission to complete. Which was the truth?

He began to hallucinate: snakes writhed beneath his feet and he stumbled. Momentum carried him down a slope, he rolled over and over across the rocky ground. Jagged rock tore open the skin of his thigh. He came to a stop and found a scorpion an inch away from his face.

«_It's not real_,» he told himself firmly. Obediently, the scorpion vanished. Finally driven beyond endurance, he put real anger behind his thought. «_Entar, think about something else, will you! You're driving me crazy. Literally._»

A new memory: leaving the host behind – just so much dead meat – and burrowing into the young shaman's body. Feeling his mind – curiosity rather than terror...

«_Not that! Entar, help me out, here!_» Daniel rolled onto his back on the hot sand. The staff-weapon wound in his side was gone, but now he had two new ones to take its place. God, he would kill for something to drink...no, he mustn't think about that. Hunger gnawed at his belly.

«_Or that_.»

It was the first conscious thought Entar shared with him for hours. «_Entar?_»

«_Who else?_»

«_Alright, can we please address this?» He felt Entar's assent. «I know we're in trouble, Entar, but why is this so frightening to you? You've done this before and survived_.»

«_I survived by killing my host_.» The wave of emotion accompanying the thought was intense.

Daniel's stomach clenched with fear and revulsion as he began to comprehend. But Entar's turbulent emotions obscured the facts. «_Stop it!_» Daniel's sending was the mental equivalent of a slap in the face. The pain of it thrummed through his own nerves, but it had the desired effect. He had Entar's attention and, more importantly, his clarity.

«_Daniel_.» It was an apology.

Daniel, able to focus now, checked the wound in his thigh. The gash was open to the muscle and bleeding, but the artery wasn't cut. He tore the sleeve from his robe to bind it. The bandage would have to be tight to stop the bleeding. Daniel's arm was bloody, too. He put pressure on that wound with his hand, trusting Entar and his body's natural resources to deal with it.

«_We're going to make it, Entar. We have to_.»

«_I know_.»

«_You need to work with me, too. Tell me what you meant when you said you killed your host. You left your host for the shaman, Kiveh, I know_...»

«_There is more_.»

In moments, Daniel understood. Entar, then a true Goa'uld, cared nothing for his host, only for his own survival. Lost in the desert, he preserved his host's life for his own sake for several days. But when it became clear they could not both survive the journey, Entar changed his strategy.

A Goa'uld's ability to heal its host was founded on a detailed, conscious control of the autonomic systems of the host body. The famed ability of Indian fakirs to slow their heartbeats or resist pain was a pale comparison to the Goa'uld's capability. The symbiot, once blended with a host, had control of everything, right down to the cellular level. Curing cancer was as simple as killing the superfluous cells and replacing the unhealthy stem cells that created the tumors. Disease that the human body would take a long time to battle could be detected and cured long before it could adversely affect the host. A wound would never become infected, and could be healed swiftly.

A host could be far stronger than a normal human because the Goa'uld had control of the adrenal system as well. The symbiot could ensure the host felt no pain, could increase the host's endurance...it could do almost anything, in fact. And the symbiot could, of course, use this same ability to the detriment of its host, if it chose.

Lost in the desert, dying along with his host, Entar made the choice to do just that. Instead of maintaining his host's body through the effects of dehydration and exposure, he abandoned the host, maintaining his own health at the expense of the body he inhabited. He forced the dying body onward, far, far beyond what should have been possible. Anything to go on, to survive. He could have preserved enough life in the host for them both to live, if he reached help or a sarcophagus in time. Entar chose not to. By the time he reached that camp of nomads, his host could not have survived. It was a walking corpse. A true parasite, Entar had literally drained the life from his host's body, leaving nothing.

Daniel didn't shy away from the knowledge. He was distantly aware that only days earlier he would have been appalled by Entar's callous disregard for his host's life. In their current predicament, he found he understood it.

He understood something else, too. «_You're afraid you might make the same choice now?_»

«_I won't! I won't do that to you, Daniel_.»

«_Entar, what you and I have is different. You were Goa'uld. Now you're Tok'Ra. He was an unwilling host. I'm your friend_.» Entar's confession was giving him an idea...

«_No! Don't even think about it, my friend_.»

«_What's more important, Entar? The billions of people who will die if Anubis gets his weapon, or my life?_»

«_You cannot ask this of me_.»

Daniel hauled himself to his feet and started walking again. «_You listen to me. What matters is for one of us to get out of this. We both know our chances are better together, but if only one of us can survive your chances are better than mine._»

«_That is true_.» Entar admitted reluctantly.

«_So we keep going. The stargate is this way, right?_»

«_I believe so_.»

«_And if it comes down to it, if there is no way I'm going to live through this, I want you to do the same as you did before. You take whatever you must from me to survive, and get to the gate._» Daniel felt Entar's horror at what he was suggesting and his resolve wavered. It was a very bad way to die.

«_More than you know_.»

«_Doesn't matter. If you can warn the Tok'Ra and Earth, it's worth my life, Entar._»

«_I cannot do this_.»

«_Damn it, you have to! Or we both die and billions with us_.» Abruptly, Daniel cut off the internal debate. «_Can you help me with this leg, Entar? I can't keep walking with it like this, and I'd like to find the stargate before we have to make that decision_.» Following Entar's uncertain sense of the stargate ahead, he walked on.

* * *

Somehow, Daniel kept going all day. He rested at night but found little solace in sleep: Entar's fears invaded his dreams. It was pointless to be angry with Entar; he couldn't regulate his thoughts any more than Daniel could. The cut in his arm was healing well and no longer hurt. The leg was painful, but he had overworked it. Daniel removed the binding carefully, examining the wound. The gash was holding together. Good.

«_I can do no more while we walk_,» Entar warned.

«_I know. Do what you can tonight and I'll cope tomorrow_.»

But the following day the wound seemed the least of Daniel's problems.

He was severely dehydrated. His skin felt dry and gritty. His vision was blurred, his eyes painful. It was getting harder to breathe, too. Daniel couldn't have spoken aloud if he wanted to; his tongue was swollen and dry. Daniel noted the symptoms with almost clinical detachment. There was nothing he could do about it. There was no water this side of the stargate. No food, either, though his body cried out for both.

«_You can go on, my friend_.»

«_It's hopeless_.»

«_Nothing is hopeless_.»

«_There might not even be a stargate_.»

«T_here is_.» Entar was absolutely certain. «_Come, my friend_.»

Daniel struggled to his feet and began to move onward.

As the heat from the suns grew more punishing, Daniel grew weaker. He rested and forced himself onward. It became the pattern of his life. One step. One breath. One step. One breath. Until he could go no further and would rest where he fell. Entar would gently encourage him onward. And the pattern began again. One step. One breath. One step.

Daniel fell. He hit the ground hard, air forced from his lungs. He took another breath automatically and got a mouthful of sand. He found himself retching weakly, but there was nothing in his stomach to bring up.

He tried to move, just raise his head a little, but all his strength was gone. «_Entar?_»

«_No, my friend_.»

«_I can't go on_.»

He expected Entar to argue, but all he felt was his acceptance. That, far more than his own exhaustion convinced Daniel they had failed. He had pushed himself too far, to no purpose.

Once he accepted that, some of the physical pain he felt receded. Daniel was just tired. Overwhelmingly tired.

«_Entar, can you go on?_»

«_Not without you_.» And Daniel felt the truth of that.

«_I can't!_» he sent, despairing. Daniel was dying. He knew he was dying. Entar knew it, too. «_Entar, we agreed_...»

«_Rest, my friend_.» Daniel felt Entar's grief. «_I will try to heal you_.»

«_Don't waste your strength. Without water I'm dead anyway_.»

«_Our chances are best together_,» Entar reminded him, chiding. «_I must try. If I fail, I will take what I must to sustain my life as long as I can._»

Daniel could still feel Entar's reluctance, but Entar wasn't lying to him. They couldn't lie to each other. «_Thank you_,» he sent, on a final cresting of love.

Daniel had a lot to regret, but never that. Never love.

* * *

  


### The SGA

"So, what do you think, Carl? Boy or girl?"

"Aw, c'mon, Jack! With women, they know sometimes, but a cow? I don't know. Why ask me? Maybe if you ask the cow..."

Jack chuckled, leaning back on the rail fence surrounding the pregnant heifer. "No, you idiot! I meant, what do you bet? Boy or girl?"

Carl rolled his eyes at Jack, getting the point, then dived into his uniform pants pocket. "How 'bout this IOU from Friday night's poker game? On it being a girl?"

"You're on. That was...what? Three hundred dollars?"

"Two eighty."

"It's a bet." Jack looked at his watch, flicked his eyes at the sky to judge the time by the sun, and then adjusted the time on the dial by a minute and a half.

Carl laughed out loud, his shoulders shaking with mirth at Jack's impossible antics. "I keep mine on SGC time."

"Yeah. The one on your _right_ wrist." Jack's raised eyebrows expressed his opinion of his Chief of Security's own quirks. "What for, anyway? I mean, the SGC. Why does that matter to you?"

"You're not the only one who gets packages from home, you know. I couldn't live without my golf tournaments..."

"Yeah." The two men started walking back from the pastures toward the SGA main buildings. "When are you going to give me a game, anyway?" Jack asked.

"Soon as Isaacs can send me through a set of good clubs."

The stargate activation alarm sounded across the compound. It had taken Jack nearly a year to get used to hearing that out of doors, after the underground confinement of the SGC, but now he acted on it without thinking, quickly reviewing the day's schedule in his mind. None of the teams were due back until tomorrow or he wouldn't be out here joking about cows; this was an unscheduled activation. When Jack did take some time to get outside into the fresh air, he never strayed far from the compound, no matter how tempting the idea might be. He and Carl broke into a run.

Inside the main building Jack made his way swiftly to the control room. He could see the shimmering blue light reflected on the walls as he entered.

"Do we know who it is yet?"

"It's Jacob Carter's IDC, General," Lieutenant Halloran answered.

Jack nodded. "Open the iris."

Lieutenant Nitta Halloran was new at the SGA, but she'd learned the job quickly and had a lot of confidence. Had Jack not been there, she would have opened the iris for Jacob on her own. He watched her ebony fingers fly over the keyboard then turned his attention to the gate as the iris opened.

Jacob Carter was the only one of the Tok'Ra Jack didn't mind having around. There was no real necessity for him to have his own GDO code; Jack did it because he didn't want his blood pressure hitting the roof, even for the few minutes it would take for Jacob to come through, if it wasn't necessary. This way he knew ahead of time it was Jacob, not some other Tok'Ra.

When the older man appeared at the top of the ramp, Jack could tell from his face that he wasn't the bearer of good news.

"Damn it. No hurry with that flag, Bergman."

"Flag, sir?" The technician, just fastening a panel at the side of one of the computers, looked up with a puzzled frown.

"The one we'll want to hang out the day the Tok'Ra show up here with good news," Jack tossed over his shoulder as he left the room to greet Jacob.

"Oh, that one. Yes, sir," Bergman mumbled, exchanging a _duck-and-cover_ gesture with Halloran as he moved back to his station. She grinned back, teeth flashing whitely for a moment before she returned to her work.

"Jack," Jacob acknowledged him as he reached the bottom of the ramp. "I have to go through to the SGC."

_Whew! Not wasting any time today, are we?_ "What's going on, Jacob?"

"I have some bad news, Jack. Is Sam around?"

"SG-1 are due back tomorrow."

"Damn. I wanted to tell her myself. Can we take this into your office?"

"Sure," Jack agreed warily, leading the way. "What kind of bad news?"

"All kinds."

Opening his office door, Jack ushered Jacob inside. "What does that mean? All kinds?" Jacob was the one Tok'Ra he was still on speaking terms with, but sometimes he displayed their habit of being deliberately obscure.

Jacob took a moment to think, running his hand over his jaw a couple of times. When he looked up, Jack's heart sank. Someone was dead, at least. But if it was a Tok'Ra, why in hell would _he_ care? "Jake?" he prompted.

"I'm sorry, Jack. It's Daniel."

Suddenly the air in the room was too thick to breathe. "Daniel's on Earth."

"No, he's not. We needed Entar for a mission. Daniel agreed." Jacob's words came more rapidly, trying to offset whatever Jack would say. "Look, Jack, he knew when he blended with Entar that this would..."

Jack could feel the anger flaring within. How the —

"Are you telling me the Tok'Ra deliberately broke protocol and went straight to the SGC? Talked Daniel into going off on some mission he couldn't be prepared for...and now he's _dead_? Is that what you're telling me, Carter?"

For the first time Jack could remember, Jacob looked shame-faced. Seriously shame-faced.

"There's more."

Jack couldn't believe it. "It was _you_? Jacob, god, why _Daniel_? For crying out loud, he's the last person who should've been — "

"You didn't hear me, Jack. We needed Entar. That meant Daniel had to come with."

"Entar. That's the name of the — snake in his head?"

"Yes. Jack, if anyone else could have gone on this mission — "

"Is this anything to do with the information Carter dug out of Tanith's ship?"

"Yes. It had to be Entar, Jack. No one else had the knowledge necessary to pull this one off. Entar is one of the oldest Tok'Ra we have...had...with us."

Jack swallowed. "Are you sure he's dead, Jacob? Seen it for yourself? Where's his body?" Clinging to hope. Daniel couldn't be gone. Couldn't be.

Jacob shook his head again. "No body, but there's no doubt, Jack. Entar didn't return from the mission. We sent an operative to investigate. They found a huge hole in the ground, and Daniel's tel'tac. There were no other life signs on the planet, and believe me, Malek searched thoroughly. The tel'tac was on the ground, still fully operational. No sign of Daniel or anyone else."

"Well, what about a stargate?"

"Jack, why would he use a gate with a perfectly good tel'tac right there? The stargate is twelve klicks from the site."

"Damn it!"

Jack could feel himself shutting down. His feelings of friendship toward Jacob were still there, but how could Jack trust him now? If he could persuade Daniel to take on a job dangerous enough to get him killed in the first place — _Daniel_, for god's sake! He didn't exactly have experience of covert ops! — then Jack could no longer be sure he knew who Jacob was. More snake than human now, perhaps?

Well, final judgement on that could wait a while. "You want to go through to Earth?"

"Yes. I need to report what happened to General Vidrine, but more importantly I feel an obligation to tell Doctor Fraiser. You know she and Daniel were..."

"Yes, I know." Jack went on quickly, no longer willing to discuss this with Jacob. "Okay, then I guess we'd better get you on your way." Before Jacob could comment, Jack picked up the phone and got through to the control room. "Dial up Earth and send a message through to the SGC. Jacob Carter is on his way."

Jacob stood. "Thanks, Jack."

Jack nodded an acknowledgement, then reached for the phone again. Jacob took that as the dismissal it was and left. Jack slammed the phone down. _God, Daniel, what have you gotten yourself into now?_ How could they just assume he was dead? He wanted Jacob out of there so Jack could take care of what needed to be done.

He headed into the control room, just in time to see the stargate shut down. Good. Jacob would certainly return via the SGA; he never missed a chance to see Carter. That gave Jack a few hours, twenty four at most, before Jacob returned. "Lieutenant, dial up P7A-218, please." He reached for the RT, waiting for the gate to open. "Sierra golf one-niner this is O'Neill. Respond. Over."

"General?" Carter's voice came back to him, her tone betraying surprise.

"How's the weather on 218, Carter?"

"Not bad, sir. It looks like there is trinium here, as we suspected."

"That's good news. I want you to pack up come home ASAP, Carter."

"Is something wrong, sir?"

"Something important has come up. I need you...your expertise."

"Yes, sir. Is an hour soon enough?"

"Sooner if you can, Major. SGA out." He gave Halloran a nod and she shut the gate down.

He wouldn't give up on a friend as easily as the Tok'Ra seemed to. Jack had a mission for SG-1. And this time, he was going along.

* * *

Janet knocked on the door to General Vidrine's office. He called an acknowledgement and she opened the door.

"Come in, Doctor. Thank you for coming."

"Is there a problem, sir?" Janet saw Jacob Carter sitting there and her stomach turned over. _Daniel_. She closed the door behind her.

The general didn't look happy. He stood as she closed the door. "Jacob has some news, Doctor. I thought you should hear this in private." He gestured to a chair for Janet and went to the door. "Ten minutes," he said before he left them alone.

Janet could barely bring herself to speak. She looked at Jacob for a moment, searching for some reassurance. She didn't find it. "It's Daniel, isn't it?" she said at last.

"I'm afraid so." He pulled out the chair and waited for Janet to sit. Then he sat down opposite her. "The Tok'Ra needed Daniel and Entar to check out a Goa'uld laboratory. We knew the Goa'uld were experimenting with some pretty heavy stuff, but we didn't know who or with what."

"What happened?" _I am not going to cry. I am **not** going to cry, goddamnit!_

"A couple of days ago we received a message from Entar. It was pretty broken up, but enough got through to indicate their mission was successful. But they didn't come back to Revanna. It's a two-day flight; we weren't worried at first. When they were overdue we sent someone looking for them. Malek. The lab had been destroyed, and Entar's tel'tak was still there on the planet. There was no sign of Daniel...or anyone else alive."

Janet listened in silence, willing herself to stay in control. She couldn't take it in. "I don't understand. What's happened to him?"

"At this point, it's mostly speculation. It's possible he's been taken captive, but..." Jacob reached for her hand.

Janet felt his hand enclose hers and realised she was crying after all. So much for resolutions.

He was still speaking. "I'm so sorry. Please listen. It's possible he was taken captive, but I've got to be honest with you, it's not likely. Malek believes – and I think he's right – that Daniel and Entar were still inside the lab when it blew. And if he was...no one could have survived that explosion."

"But...he promised me he'd be back." It was a stupid thing to say, she realised as soon as the words were out of her mouth. But it was the last thing Daniel said to her before he left. A promise. She swallowed, blinking back her tears. "You're telling me you think he's dead."

"I'm sorry."

_You did it, Daniel!...sharing his joy when he walked for the first time...the sound of laughter on the wind...Daniel sharing a joke with Cassie during a summer picnic...their first Christmas together, making love by firelight...Daniel, wounded at the treaty summit...I really love you, you know..._

_I love you, Jan. I will be back._

Dimly aware of Jacob's hand still surrounding hers, Janet looked up through her tears. _Pull yourself together, Fraiser. Are you an officer or not?_ She took a deep breath to steady herself. "Tell me what you know for sure."

"Daniel's last known position was the Goa'uld lab on Alkar. We know he was on the planet at the time of the explosion, and we know he didn't leave in his ship. We know there's nothing left alive down there now. Beyond that all we have right now is speculation, but I don't want to give you false hope. Entar was my friend. I believe they are dead."

She wiped her eyes. _Daniel_...


	18. Search

General O'Neill was waiting for them at the base of the ramp. Sam looked around the gate room. Everything looked normal. There was no sign of any emergency.

"Welcome back, SG-1." O'Neill's voice sounded strained. "Teal'c, Wilson, Simmons, report to the infirmary and get yourselves cleared ASAP. Debrief in thirty minutes." He didn't look at any of them as he spoke. "Major Carter, with me."

She handed the equipment she was carrying to Wilson and followed the general quickly. She knew Jack O'Neill well enough to see he was struggling with something. He walked quickly, bypassing his office and leading her out of the building. So whatever he had to say, it was private.

Outside, he stopped walking abruptly. "Anything I should know about the mission, Carter?"

"Routine, sir. Nothing we didn't expect."

"Good. The reports can wait, then." He ran a hand through his hair.

Sam saw the emotion in the gesture: intense tiredness or sadness warring with tightly controlled anger. She took a deep breath. "Sir, what is it? If you'll forgive me for saying so, you look like this is something personal."

He sighed, half-turning away from her. "You could say that, Carter." He turned back, meeting her eyes. "Daniel's MIA off-world. The Tok'Ra think he's dead."

It was like a slap in the face. Sam caught her breath, unable to look away from his eyes. Daniel. Oh, god... "Daniel? But what...I mean, how...?"

"It's connected to the intel you pulled from Tanith's ship. They had the gall to bypass the SGA completely, went straight to Earth and somehow managed to persuade Daniel that they needed...Entar?...his symbiot, anyway, for a mission. If you ask me, Jacob bypassed the SGA deliberately. He knew I'd rip him a new one, your dad or not, if I'd known about this."

He was pacing angrily as he spoke. At the mention of her father, Sam frowned. When she realised what he was saying, she grabbed his arm, forcing him to look at her.

"Sir, are you saying it was my dad who asked Daniel to go?"

"_Persuaded_, Carter, and yes. That is exactly what I'm saying." He resumed his pacing. "He said it had to be Entar because he was the only one who could pull it off."

Still frowning, Sam tried to piece the story together. "Well, with all due respect, sir, that could be true. From what Daniel's told me, Entar is one of the oldest of the Tok'Ra and Selmak was very worried by what we found on the alkesh."

Jack stopped and stared at her, his dark eyes intense. She returned his look steadily. He was pissed off as hell, but this wouldn't be the first time they had clashed over the Tok'Ra. She understood now why he wanted to have this conversation out here. In private.

"That's crap, Carter, and you know it!"

"No, General, I don't know it," she returned doggedly. "Look I can understand why you feel like this about it, but..." Sam stopped, biting back the words she wanted to say.

Jack's gaze didn't waver. "But, _what_?" he snapped impatiently. "Come on, Major, spit it out!"

"Permission to speak fr—"

Jack cut his hand across the words. "Granted!"

"I think you're letting your personal feelings about the Tok'Ra cloud your judgement, General. And with all due respect, sir, if Daniel is still alive, anger isn't going to get him back. A cool head might."

She saw him struggle to hold back a sarcastic response. He turned away from her abruptly, and Sam wondered if she'd crossed the line. "General?" she tried.

"Noted, Major." He took a deep breath. "You'd better get to the infirmary, Carter. I want you cleared before the briefing."

"Yes, sir." She hesitated just a moment, not quite sure whether to take that as a dismissal.

He turned back to her, all traces of anger gone, for the moment. "Sam? You okay?"

_They think Daniel's dead_... She nodded. "I'm okay, sir," she lied.

* * *

Jack had a few calls to make before the hastily-scheduled briefing, so he was the last to arrive. Colonel Kovacek – his 2IC – was with him. Jack took his seat at the head of the table. Carter was on his left, Simmons next to her in his usual seat. Wilson sat immediately on Jack's right; Teal'c was at the opposite end of the table. He began to rise when he saw Kovacek, but the colonel waved him down. Kovacek closed the briefing room door firmly and took point: no one was going to interrupt this briefing, for _any_ reason.

Jack wasted no time in getting to the point. "Okay, folks, this is _not_ by the book, but there's no time to be regulation about this. I have an urgent mission for SG-1, and I'm going to be coming with you. Colonel Kovacek has agreed to cover my ass for the duration." Jack's eyes swept around the room, making eye contact with each of them briefly. He read surprise and confusion, but no rebellion. Good. "A few days ago, Daniel Jackson was persuaded by the Tok'Ra that they needed his symbiot to go on a mission for them. I just found out the Tok'Ra now believe Daniel is dead. As far as I'm concerned, until I see a body Daniel is MIA, and since the Tok'Ra can't be bothered it's up to us to find him."

Teal'c took the news with his usual stoic silence. Jack had half-expected a reaction from him: Teal'c and Daniel were close. Simmons took the news with apparent calm, his eyes going to Carter, beside him. She and Simmons exchanged a glance and Jack saw the less-than-pleasant probabilities sink in for both of them. He tore his gaze away, unwilling to let their mood drag him down. He moved on to the last member of SG-1: Captain Wilson.

"Do we know where Doctor Jackson was sent by the Tok'Ra, sir?" Wilson asked.

_Good man_, Jack thought appreciatively. _He doesn't know Daniel so he'll be more objective than the rest of us right now. I'm going to need him. And Sam_.

Jack returned his look to Carter for a moment, noting her attention was now fully focussed on him, and nodded to himself. "When you took Tanith out, I was happy to accept your recommendation to share information with the Tok'Ra. I know they got more out of the ship's computer than we did, but for now we'll have to make do with what we have. Daniel's mission was connected to that information."

"Part of it was stargate addresses, General," Wilson volunteered. "We thought it was the addresses for three planets, but they were all incomplete. We can probably extrapolate the missing chevrons based on..."

"Good," Jack cut him off. "Those three will be our starting point; Daniel must have gone to one of them. When Jacob Carter comes back from the SGC — "

There was a small gasp from Carter at the mention of her father's name. Jack looked at her, but she waved it off as unimportant.

Jack continued, "Well, I hope he doesn't have another appointment, because if he does, he's going to be late."

"Sir?" Carter said, startled.

"Major, he got Daniel into this mess in the first place. He knows everything we need to know about Daniel's mission and I'm not stopping to send him a postcard halfway through our search just because we forgot to ask him something. Jacob used to be an Air Force officer; he'll understand. And if he doesn't...tough. The Tok'Ra owe us, big time. I'm calling the marker in, _now_."

Sam took her CO's words calmly. "I agree, sir. I'm sure my dad will co-operate." Looking directly at him, she added, "The Tok'Ra don't abandon their own without reason."

_Low blow, Carter_, Jack groused, feeling his frown deepen. He looked at Teal'c.

Teal'c said firmly, "Daniel Jackson is part of the SGC. As you have often said, O'Neill, we do not leave our people behind."

_I'll take that as a go_. "So, Major, I want you to go over every scrap of the information you got out of that ship. Make those addresses your top priority but don't neglect the rest. I want everything that might be useful."

"Yes, sir," she agreed.

"_Now_, Major!"

Sam's head jerked up in surprise. Jack understood: she'd probably never been sent out of a briefing to begin preparation, no matter how urgent the mission.

"Sir? How much time do we have, here?"

"You have until Jacob gets back from Earth, Carter."

The look she gave him then told Jack their earlier discussion was not closed. He sighed. "Carter?"

"Yes, sir."

She rose from the table and left without another word. Hopefully that meant they could postpone the rest of the argument until they got Daniel back.

"Wilson, I want you and Teal'c to make sure we have the right weapons, equipment and supplies for wherever we end up. As soon as Carter has those addresses figure out what conditions we'll be facing and get prepared. Dismissed."

"Yessir."

"O'Neill..."

Jack spared him a sympathetic glance. "Later, Teal'c." Finally, he turned to Lieutenant Simmons. "Simmons, go help Carter extrapolate those addresses. When you have them, I want you to make sure there's nothing that might keep us from dialling out to those planets, but _without_ actually dialling them. We don't know what we'll find on the other side, yet."

"Yes, sir. Uh...dismissed, sir?"

"That's what I want to hear, Lieutenant." Jack actually smiled at Simmons as he hurried off to carry out his orders.

That left Jack alone with Kovacek. "Well, Stan?"

Kovacek leaned back against the door. "General, it's my duty to speak up if I think you're making a mistake..."

"You think this is a mistake?"

"If you abandon your command now, they'll bust you right down to civilian. You do know that, don't you?"

"There are precedents," Jack said, thinking of Hammond's clandestine trip to Chulak. "I'm not abandoning anything. I'm taking a vacation."

"With all due respect, sir, _bullshit_."

"Yeah, but I might get away with it. Stan, this is Daniel. You know him. He'll move Heaven and Earth if a friend of his is in trouble."

"And he was part of your team, and you'd do the same for Carter or Teal'c, right?"

"Damn straight. No one gets left behind, Stan. Ever."

Kovacek nodded slowly. "Sir, I know you don't want to hear this, but...what if he is dead?"

"Then I'm bringing his body home. It's the least I can do."

"He could have been captured by the Goa'uld. He could be anywhere in the galaxy by now!"

"_Don't_ play devil's advocate on this, Stan!" Jack slammed his hand down on the desk. The sound echoed like a gunshot. "Daniel got himself killed taking a shot for me on Abydos, and against all the odds he's been my best friend, come hell or high water, ever since. I will do every damned thing I can to get him back."

"You're that sure he's not dead."

"Stan, I know two things. One: no one has seen his body. Two: he's the guy who figured out our stargate and helped me kill Ra, _and_ he's a Tok'Ra. If the Goa'uld do have him, what do you think they're doing to him? If you were in hell, Stan, would you want me to declare you KIA without even checking?"

"No, sir, I wouldn't." Stan nodded. "Okay. Devil's advocate retiring for the day."

"Thanks, Stan." Jack smiled. "I'm officially on vacation as of now; you're in command. If anything does come up while I'm off-world, you can always reach me. We'll keep you fully informed."

"I'll appreciate that."

"I want to know the second Jacob Carter gets back from Earth. I'll see him in my office. In the meantime, I'm going to find Teal'c and see if he needs some help."

"Yes, sir."

For a moment, Jack felt a smile creeping onto his face despite his worry and he had to make an effort to stifle it. He knew what it was: he was off on a mission again. As much as he loved this command, he missed going out into the galaxy through the gate. If there was one thing he hated, it was waiting. But right now Daniel's life was at stake, and that was his only consideration.

God help him, Carter was right. When he let his anger take over Jack became reactive. And that could not only get Daniel killed, but could get everyone on his team, including himself, very dead. Once more he was grateful for the cool heads of Carter and Wilson.

_Hang on, Daniel_, he sent out into the ether. _Wherever you are, just hang on, We're coming._

* * *

"Jack, there's not a chance in hell you're going to get what you want! The Tok'Ra High Council — "

"The _Council_," Jack spat the word with contempt, "agreed to share information with us. Then sent you directly to Earth to drag Daniel out on a mission he had no business being anywhere near. They can't pretend they have no responsibility for his safety."

The general's words were full of hostility, but his voice remained even and controlled. Jacob had been expecting a tirade. Somehow Jack's restraint served to underline his sentiments even more forcefully and Jacob found himself feeling guilty by implication, even as he felt Selmak's denial of the accusation. There had been no need to "drag" Daniel anywhere; both Daniel and Entar agreed that the mission was necessary and accepted it voluntarily. Nor would the Council — or Jacob himself — disavow responsibility for Daniel's safety. The Tok'Ra looked after their own. But they didn't waste resources on lost causes. Jacob drew a breath to speak, hoping to mollify Jack, but Jack interrupted him again.

"The Tok'Ra have already made it perfectly clear they have as much regard for their agents' lives as the Russians do. And you know how I feel about them."

And, by implication, about the Tok'Ra. Jacob got the message loud and clear. "Jack, Malek swept the planet twice. There were no life signs. The crater was..."

"Yeah, _big_. You said. And as far as the sweeps go, the scanners might have been faulty, or there could have been some sort of Goa'uld jamming device down there. Isn't that possible?"

It was obviously not intended as a question. _We don't leave our people behind_ was Jack O'Neill's credo and clearly, he would not be moved on this.

"I am going to find Daniel. Alive or dead, Jacob. If you're right and he's dead, I'm bringing his body home. The Tok'Ra got him into this mess and they can damned well help us get him out of it. Send the message."

Daniel Jackson was one of the best friends O'Neill ever had. Whatever their recent disagreements, Jacob saw every moment of that friendship burning in Jack's eyes. He knew he had lost this particular battle. He nodded. "Okay, Jack. But I already know what they're going to say."

Jacob was shaking his head as he left Jack's office to send the message to the High Council as instructed. This mess was only going to get worse, because there was no way the Council would do more than they already had to find Entar. Every Tok'Ra, Daniel included, knew that if you screwed up on a mission, you were on your own. If Daniel were by some miracle still alive, it made no sense to risk more lives to save one. It just wasn't the Tok'Ra way. It even made sense.

Try telling Jack O'Neill that. No point, especially as it was Daniel they were talking about.

_Oh, crap_. As a certain General was so fond of saying.

* * *

Never had Sam felt so uncertain about a mission. God knew she wanted Daniel to be alive and well just as much as General O'Neill did, but...

Her dad described the devastation Malek found when they did their sensor sweeps of the planet. And the fact that the tel'tak Daniel used was still there...why hadn't he used it if he still lived? The general suggested he could have been captured, and that was certainly a possibility, but again the stargate was miles away from the site of the laboratory; wouldn't the Goa'uld have used Daniel's tel'tak, at least to go as far as the gate? Goa'uld weren't in the habit of making life uncomfortable for themselves. Of course, there were _maybe_ answers to all of the questions, but whichever way Sam looked at the facts they knew, it didn't add up.

Sam hated going into these things blind. She still wasn't absolutely sure the equipment they were preparing was appropriate for what they would find on Alkar. And besides, she just had this really weird, bad feeling about this mission. It wasn't something she could put her finger on, just strange. Could it be something to do with a memory of Jolinar's?

For an instant it was there, the memory just within the grasp of her mind. Then it was gone, like a bubble bursting when your fingertips touch it. It left her feeling sad and, oddly, angry...then even that was gone.

Approaching the general's office to report the readiness of SG-1, Sam slowed hearing raised voices coming from the room ahead. One was her dad's voice, apparently trying to convince the general of something. The general sounded just plain angry. _Loud_ and angry.

"Damn it, Jacob, I know you _know_ more than you're telling me. You know something about whichever Goa'uld this is, something that has you and your pals seriously fried! If I'm going to find Daniel I need to know _everything_ you can tell me about this _snake_."

"Jack, I can't. There is nothing I can do. I'm sorry, I really am, but I've already explained to you..."

"You've explained _squat_ that means a damn, Carter!"

There was a pained silence for a moment and Sam wondered if she should take this opportunity to march in. Maybe she could bring the temperature in there down a little. Then she heard something that stopped her dead in her tracks, something she never thought could be. Was the general saying what she thought she'd just heard?

"I'm telling you right now, Jacob, if the Tok'Ra won't help us, you have to! You're coming with us to the planet, and I don't care if you've got another mission or _ten_ waiting for you. Refuse...and as far as I'm concerned our friendship is over. You help us, or we're _finished_!"

More silence. Sam waited, poised on the edge of indecision for the space of a heartbeat, then, almost gasping in a deep breath, she turned on her heel and walked back to the end of the corridor.

_Oh, god, I don't believe this_... Locking her gaze on the phone near the security door to the control room, she picked it up and dialled SG-1's locker room. She waited impatiently for someone to answer the call. Finally: "Teal'c? I think we have another problem... Yeah. In all probability there's going to be a _large_ explosion in the general's office. He just told my dad he has to come with us to help... Well, I agree, but this isn't the way..." She heard a door open and close behind her. "Just hurry, Teal'c."

Turning toward the sound she saw her dad walking toward her. She hung up the phone quickly and opened her mouth to speak as he approached.

"Not now, Sam. I have to go have _a word_ with Selmak...somewhere private."

Understanding, Sam offered her lab, which would be empty at that time of day. "The door can be locked from the inside, so you won't be disturbed."

Jacob just nodded, and followed her through the halls to the lab.

"Dad..."

"Yeah?"

"I think Jolinar knew something connected to this mission of Entar's. I've got a really bad feeling about this and I don't think it's coming from me."

Jacob looked at her as they walked. "I'm sorry, Sam. I'd like to tell you, but I just can't. If you happen to remember on your own...well, there's nothing I can do about that, but I won't tell you directly. Just...believe me when I say I'm not being stubborn for the sake of it."

"Okay, dad. I understand," Sam agreed, not entirely sure that she did. What was it she was half-remembering? Something about the mission...or about Entar?

There were SFs stationed all over the research wing. Sam gave orders that her father was not to be disturbed, and left him in her lab. She hurried back to the briefing room, praying she would find her team already there.

From outside the door, she heard O'Neill's voice again. "...this time, Teal'c. Either he agrees to help us, or Carter's going to have to take her vacations on Revanna if she wants to see him!"

"_Thank you_, sir," Sam said pointedly, walking into the room.

Her eyes sought the general's first. He had the grace to look apologetic, for a moment. Meeting his eyes only for that instant, Sam saw enough to make her worry. She hadn't seen him like this since...she had _never_ seen him like this. "My dad's in my lab, arguing this out with Selmak. I think he can talk him around." She looked at the others around the table, getting nods from each of her team. "My team is ready to go, sir, she concluded."

"Very well, Major. As soon as your father is ready, we'll leave." The general's expression didn't soften even slightly. He really was dead set on this. The thought that he and her father might really lose their friendship over this was chilling. The price of this war with the Goa'uld was already too high; it seemed it was about to get higher. Daniel was probably lost to them...if the general was willing to risk alienating the Tok'Ra as well, could _any_ of them survive this, intact?

Or must they become as cold and ruthless as Jack believed the Tok'Ra already were?

* * *

In the embarkation room, Sam watched O'Neill warily. His impatience communicated itself to the others; they were all eager to get going. O'Neill was fidgeting with bits of his harness, his weapon, his radio... He reached to the side to loosen a strap he had already adjusted three times. Then he caught Sam looking at him.

"How much longer is your dad going to be in conference with his pet snake?"

Sam gave him a look, not even dignifying that with a reply.

"Sorry..."

He didn't look sorry.

"O'Neill."

All eyes turned to Teal'c. Then, following his gaze, toward the door where Jacob stood.

"About time, Carter." O'Neill looked pointedly at the bag slung over Jacob's shoulder. "As you're all packed I take it you're coming with us?"

"I've given them the address of the planet Daniel was sent to. And I'll help, Jack. On one condition."

"Which is?" Jack enquired coldly. Sam found herself crossing her fingers.

"I'll tell you what I can, Jack, but there are some things I will _not_ discuss. I can't tell you which Goa'uld is behind all this, and I won't tell you more than I already have about why Entar was the one we sent out there."

"Why not?"

"That's the condition, Jack. Take it or leave it."

The general wouldn't like the sound of that. Sam looked at one man, then the other nervously. It would sound to O'Neill like another "typical" Tok'Ra hidden agenda, and she could tell her dad wasn't going to budge on this one. She sighed and shook her head imperceptibly. This was not the time for these two to start playing _alpha male_.

Finally, O'Neill nodded curtly. "Let's go." He looked up to the control room. "Dial it up."

* * *

"This is Selmak's 'condition' isn't it?"

Jacob looked up from his examination of the tel'tac's star chart and faced Jack, studying him carefully. The general hadn't let a desk job detract from his physical fitness; he managed the twelve-klick journey from the stargate as well as any of them. When they reached the site and Jack saw what was left of the gilash'ad, his expression remained determinedly blank.

Sam was less stoic.

_"Oh, my god," she whispered close enough now to see the extent of the devastation. She stared at the general, grief written all over her face. "Sir, if Daniel was in there when it happened..."_

_"He wasn't," O'Neill snapped. "Carter, he got out in time to signal the Tok'Ra."_

_Jacob hated to disappoint his daughter, but it had to be said. "We don't know that for sure, Jack. We only know Entar did signal. The message could have been sent from inside."_

_"Prove it," O'Neill told him stubbornly._

Which was why he and O'Neill were in the tel'tac now. O'Neill had two SG teams on this mission: SG-1, of course, and the marines of SG-3. They had their orders and Jack left their respective team leaders to carry the orders out while he stayed close to Jacob. An examination of the tel'tac's communication system confirmed Jack's guess was right: the message they received from Entar had been sent from the ship, not from the gilash'ad. That put a different complexion on things, because Jack was right about something else, too: the interference in the signal proved it was sent during or after the explosion...so why would Entar have gone back inside? Entar wasn't the suicidal type. Even Selmak had to concede there was a chance, if a slim one, that Entar and Daniel were still alive somewhere. Somehow.

With that hope as motivation, Jacob began a thorough search of the tel'tac, looking for some clue as to what had happened. O'Neill was silent for a while, looking around himself, but he didn't know his way around a ship like this. Not like Jacob did. Then, out of the blue, O'Neill spoke up.

"This is Selmak's 'condition' isn't it?"

Jacob had known O'Neill long enough to see that his cool façade was starting to wear a little thin. A certain tightness to the eyes, the too-level tone of his voice. Calm without the relaxation that should go with it. Not to mention O'Neill's wacky sense of humour seemed light years away.

Sighing inwardly, Jacob answered the question. "It was Selmak's suggestion, but we both agree on this one, Jack."

"Why? You know something that could help us find Daniel and you won't tell. _Why_?"

«_He won't listen to me_.»

«_It's a risk, Jacob. You know how he feels about us_.»

«_He feels that way because we've rarely given him reason to feel otherwise. You know the Tok'Ra have a tendency to hold out on them. Just like we're doing now. I think Jack might respond to a bit of honesty for a change_.»

«_You could be right... Very well_.»

Surrendering control to his symbiot, Jacob mentally crossed his fingers. This could be messy if Selmak didn't say exactly the right thing.

"General O'Neill." Selmak observed but ignored the shock on the general's face. So he wasn't expecting a symbiot's voice. He would have to deal with it. "General, I know you are suspicious of the Tok'Ra, and I understand why my holding back certain information must add to your suspicions. Will you accept my word that the information I am withholding is not material to your purpose here?"

"_Everything_ relevant to Daniel's mission is material."

"Perhaps that is true. Nevertheless, there are things I must not reveal."

"I'm still waiting for a convincing reason."

"Then I'll try to offer one. General, through my host I have come to know your people well. You are a passionate race. In your battle against the Goa'uld you have proven yourselves effective; a truly valuable ally for the Tok'Ra, a respected friend of the Asgard, and a genuine threat to the Goa'uld System Lords. The Asgard protect you from the System Lords, but you cannot rely on their protection forever."

"We're aware of that. What does it have to do with Daniel?"

"The Goa'uld we believe was behind what happened here is not one of the system lords. He knows your race far better than you can ever know him. If you draw his attention to you, he will destroy you, and, please, General, take this warning seriously. I am not exaggerating. I know the passion of your race; if you learn what we know too soon and you act as I suspect you would, it will bring disaster upon all of you."

"Maybe you should trust us a little more."

"I could say the same to you, General. I believe that if we wait, and act when the time is right, there is a good chance this Goa'uld can be defeated. However, it is essential we do not move too soon."

"Sir?"

O'Neill turned to the tel'tac entrance at Sam's voice. She had been out there setting up instruments and sensors for the best part of two hours.

"Carter? You about done out there?"

"Ready to go, sir."

"Well, fire 'em up, then." O'Neill stood quickly, walking toward her. "Daniel is out there somewhere, and every second counts."

Sam tossed a _Yessir!_ over her shoulder as she turned to the portable display in front of her and toggled a switch. Somewhere outside, Jacob heard the rocket ignition of the UAV and a swoosh as it took off from its platform. He moved to his daughter's side to watch the display as the UAV flew over the landscape. He remembered showing a similar film to Daniel, back at the SGC.

"It doesn't look right," Sam commented.

The visual display showed a crater full of rubble where the gilash'ad had been. Jacob heard the confusion in Sam's voice. "The building was of Goa'uld construction, Sam. You won't see steel and concrete."

"Maybe that's it," she agreed distractedly.

Jacob looked at her sharply; distraction was unusual for Sam. "What's wrong, kiddo?"

She shook her head. "Daniel. If he was in there, Dad, we'll be lucky to find even a piece of him."

Jack interrupted, "He wasn't inside, Carter. We already established that. Can you get us a wider angle on this thing?"

"Yes, sir." Focussed on her task once again, Sam reached for the controls. "Dad, you said you think the explosion here was Daniel's sabotage."

"That's our guess," Jacob confirmed.

"Can you elaborate? What would he have done? I guess the Tok'Ra don't use C4."

"We sometimes use explosives, but in a situation like this standard procedure would be to improvise. Use something already on-site. Probably the main power generator; the fuel used can be highly unstable."

"Any idea where that would be?"

"Sorry, Sam. The Goa'uld don't usually supply us with their blueprints. Why?"

"I'm trying to figure out the blast pattern. If we're going to search what's left of it, it makes sense to start in the areas furthest from the centre of it."

"You're right, Major," Jack said, moving closer to the display. "Are you recording?"

"Always."

"Good." Jack thumbed his radio. "Teal'c, you there?"

"_We are on our way back, O'Neill_."

"Find anything?"

"_Nothing of significance_."

O'Neill told Teal'c to hurry back and turned back to Sam and Jacob. "The best person to analyse those images for a blast pattern is back at the SGA. Jacob, when Teal'c gets back I'd like the two of you to head out to the gate and dial home — we can transmit the UAV images to Carl."

Jacob didn't ask why him. He and Teal'c were best equipped to deal with the desert conditions.

«_Jacob, you really should have a talk to O'Neill about this. What he's doing is_...»

«_Yeah, Selmak, I know. For now let's just do everything we can to help find Entar, okay?_»

«_And if we cannot? Or if we find proof they are dead?_»

«_Selmak?_»

«_Yes, Jacob?_»

«_Shut up_.»

Selmak's voice in his mind quieted, though Jacob felt his symbiot's wry, if silent, chuckle ripple through his mind. He headed out of the tel'tac to wait for Teal'c.

Outside, the steady breeze he had noticed when they first came through the stargate was beginning to pick up.


	19. Found?

The wind was incessant. Always in the same direction and it never, ever stopped. Jack ducked his head lower, wishing his wraparound sunglasses had some sort of accessory he could use to cover his whole face. Even when he turned away from the wind to talk to Carter, he still got a mouthful of the fine, gritty sand that seemed to make up this moon's entire surface. If the wind got any stronger he would have to call off the search and get everyone under cover.

"Carter..."

She looked up from her instruments and shook her head. The UAV was having trouble flying in this wind — sand in its rocket or some such — but the last aerial survey they completed had turned up a big, fat nothing. No life signs, human or otherwise, except those of the team. There was little doubt that this moon was barren. Of course 'little doubt' was not conclusive and Jack wasn't going to give up so easily.

"I'm sorry, sir."

"I know, Carter." Jack blew out the breath was holding, his eyes drifting over the rest of the instruments reporting and analysing half a dozen different signals: EM, radiation, alpha, beta, gamma, infra-red and ultra-violet. What it was all supposed to tell them was somewhat beyond him. "What about this stuff? Learning anything?"

Again the head shake. "Nothing much, sir. The energy readings are unusual, but I can't tell why. Not yet. I'm working on it."

"Unusual how, Major?"

She straightened up, leaving the instruments for a moment. "Sir, it's probably just a residual signature from the explosion. Or it could be natural to this moon's atmosphere. The readings are all just slightly 'off'." Carter hesitated, then added, "I know this is frustrating for you, sir. But it's going to take some time."

"Yeah." But time was the one thing Daniel might not have.

* * *

By the time Teal'c and Jacob got back from the stargate, the sandstorm forced Jack to halt all operations. He crowded everyone into the tel'tac to wait for the storm to blow itself out. By nightfall the storm showed no sign of abating. Sleeping arrangements were rough, but adequate.

Jack sat in the cockpit (at least that was how he thought of it, not knowing the "correct" Goa'uld term) of the tel'tac. There was a window in here, though it wasn't much good at the moment. Nothing was visible through the storm.

"General?"

He didn't turn around. "Carter, you should be sleeping."

"I tried."

Jack nodded to the chair at his side, inviting her to sit. She did. "You think we're wasting our time, don't you?" he asked.

Carter hesitated. "No, sir. I think what we've found so far more than justified our being here. But we haven't found anything to indicate where Daniel might be...if he's alive."

Jack only sighed, well aware of the truth of that.

For several minutes they both sat in silence. Finally, Jack said quietly, "This place reminds me of Abydos. Maybe it's just the sandstorm."

"Maybe."

"He was...Daniel was happy there, you know."

"Don't do this to yourself, sir. Daniel made his own choices."

"I know." Jack thumped the console in front of him, hard. "Damn it, why did he do it?"

Carter frowned. "You mean the mission, sir?" she asked uncertainly.

"I mean letting that snake in. That's where all this started."

"Sir..." Carter began.

He looked at her, seeing hard determination in her eyes.

"...Jack, _this_ didn't start when Daniel chose to be Entar's host. It started when you wouldn't even give him a chance to explain why. You owed him that much."

"You're out of line, _Major_."

It didn't stop her for a moment. "So were you," she retorted.

Jack noticed the pointed omission. Carter knew she could get away with it. He had never been one to insist on a salute from a friend; not in moments like this, anyway. And she was right. He didn't give Daniel a chance.

That was something he would have to put right when they found him.

Jack leaned forward, toward her. "Carter..."

"Major Carter!" Lieutenant Simmons burst in.

Carter jerked back, an odd expression flashing across her face. It was gone the next moment and she stood. "Lieutenant, you have the mid-watch whether you sleep or not."

"Yes, Major. It's just...you know those readings you showed us?"

Carter came alert at once. "What about them, Simmons?"

"I just remembered when I've seen readings like that before. Or, almost like that."

Jack was out of his chair fast. "Well? When?"

"About three years ago, General. When we lost SG-10. We dialled out to the planet and found there was a black hole on the other side."

"I remember."

"Well, Major Carter had me monitoring the readings until General Hammond gave the order to evacuate. The readings looked a lot like the residuals we've been picking up."

Jack looked at Carter. "A black hole can't just disappear, Major. _Could_ that be what you're picking up?"

"A black hole, sir? I don't think so. But...I need to talk to my dad." She hurried out before either of them could speak.

Jack didn't have a clue what Carter was thinking, but hopefully this meant progress. He nodded. "Well done, Lieutenant."

* * *

"Try it now, Sam." Jacob slid the plate back over the console base.

Carter's fingers flew over the console. This time several lights came on. Jack guessed that meant it was working. A few moments later he had confirmation of that: the viewscreen flickered then came on, displaying...more data Jack couldn't read. Great.

Jacob got up off the floor. "Something threw the power crystals out of whack. It's strange, but..." He looked up at the readings and his voice trailed off.

"Simmons was right," Carter said.

That sounded dangerous. "Carter, are you saying there's a black hole out there?"

"No, sir," she said quickly. "It's something else. Dad, is Entar's message still in the memory?"

"It would have been before I wiped it fixing the crystals."

"Carter..." Jack began, but for the moment she wasn't paying attention.

Carter's exchange with her father was rapid and mostly incomprehensible to Jack. The only part of it he understood was something about..._time travel_?

"Carter!" he barked. And, when he had her attention: "Talk to me. In plain English, please."

"The readings we picked up earlier, sir, and the readings the tel'tac is still picking up...they are residual traces of negative energy."

Jacob added, "There was some mention of that in Entar's message to the Tok'Ra, but the transmission was so broken up we didn't make sense of it all."

"There's something else, General. Carl's analysis of the images we sent to him."

Jack nodded. "He said it looked like there should be a lot more debris than there is. Which makes no sense at all. There hasn't been time for anyone to clear it up, even if there was reason to."

"Right. But these readings are consistent with a massive discharge of negative energy."

"Bottom line it, Carter."

"Sir, I think the experiments being conducted here were something to do with time travel. The question isn't where that missing debris is. The question is _when_."

_Time travel? Oh, god, Daniel... How in hell do I even begin to...?_ Jack felt the blood drain from his face. "You're sure?"

"Pretty sure, yes, sir. You see, to be able to travel through time, you need to move faster than light. All of the postulated methods for doing so have one thing in common: negative energy. And that's exactly what we're picking up here."

"So you're saying the debris from the explosion is...in the past?"

Carter nodded. "Well, it could be the future. There's nothing here to indicate how advanced the experiment was..."

Jack sank down into a chair as his own mind filled in the blanks. "Something about the explosion sent most of the debris through time. And Daniel with it."

"Yes, sir, I'm afraid so." Sam sat down opposite him, then offered a ray of hope. "General, I'll need to set up our equipment to take some additional readings and then I can start correlating the data. I think I can get at least a rough idea how far into the past or future Daniel might have travelled, but it'll take some time."

Thank god for Carter. Always ready with the positive reaction. The next thing to do to achieve the goal. Repeating his silent blessing on her head to himself, he gave the order. "Go for it, Major. Whatever you have to do. I'm not giving up."

"Neither am I, sir."

* * *

  


### Morning

The sandstorm had blown itself out during the night. Jack walked out of the tel'tac alone. The crater was heavily covered with sand. Searching the crater had always been a mammoth task; now it would be almost impossible.

_Damn it, Daniel! Couldn't you have just persuaded the snake to stay home?_

Okay. That was a slap in the face. Was he really mad at Daniel for this?

"General!"

Jack pulled in a mercifully sand-free breath from somewhere, but it pushed him to the edge of an uncomfortable emotion he couldn't even name. Removing his cap, Jack ran a hand through his rapidly greying hair and sighed. He closed his eyes for a moment. Just for a moment...

"Sir?"

_Oh, god, Carter, what now?_ He opened his eyes, feeling every one of his forty-five years. Dragging some discipline up front, he turned to face her at last. "Major?"

"Sir, I've been talking to my dad, and...really, there is nothing more we can do here. We need information, and that's not going to come easily or quickly. My dad will ask the Tok'Ra to keep an ear open for anything that might help us, but even if they find something it will still take some time to filter through."

"I know that, Major," Jack heard himself say, almost calmly. This and other, similar thoughts had been rampaging through his mind since last night. "Just keep working on what you need to figure out where..._when_...Daniel is."

"That's kind of my point, sir. I can do that work back at the SGA. I've been recording sunspot patterns, but I need the SGA computers to do the detailed work on the readings. Then, if I come up with anything, I can come back here with SG-1." Anticipating his reply, she went on quickly. "General, Teal'c can probably go on a lot longer, but most of us are exhausted. We can't go through another storm like that, sir. And if we go back, we'll have all the resources of the SGA to draw on: teams we can send to check out any planets as we pick up relevant intel. We...we can't do that here, sir."

Teal'c was helping Wilson secure the scanners: the storm did some damage but the equipment was very robust. It was designed for extreme conditions. Jack kept his gaze on the two men. It felt safer than seeing the concern on Carter's face. Jack wracked his brain to come up with some reasonable way to contradict her logic, but nothing came to mind. Finally, he did look back at her, and her look of concern softened to empathy.

"I know, sir. I feel the same. He was lost here. If we leave...it feels like we're..."

"Leaving him behind."

Carter nodded silently.

She was right. Jack knew that, but leaving this place without Daniel was beginning to feel more and more like a physical impossibility. Like a dog on a leash, Jack felt tied to the planet, to the stargate that was looking more and more like his best hope of finding Daniel. So...

"Alright, Carter, we'll do it your way. Teal'c?"

"O'Neill," Teal'c acknowledged, leaving Wilson's side and approaching Jack and Carter.

"Teal'c, can you fly this thing?" Jack asked, then, realising he wasn't sure it _would_ fly, added, "That's if it still works. Carter?"

"I can," Teal'c confirmed.

Carter grinned. "I'm pretty sure it's still operational, sir. I'll check with my dad."

"Do that." He turned to Teal'c. "I want you to fly everyone back to the gate and send 'em home. Then come back for me."

"What do you plan to do, O'Neill?" The concern in the Jaffa's face had never been more obvious.

"Teal'c, I came here to search for Daniel, and all I've done is sit on Carter's butt and wait for her to tell me what happened to him! Every person who came here with us has been out looking except me."

"You do not trust Major Carter's instruments? The reports of the others?"

"It's not that. You know I trust them. I _have_ to go out there and look for myself, starting with the lab site and then back to the gate. I just know..."

"Sir!"

Damn it, he shouldn't have raised his voice like that. Carter worrying about him was the last thing he needed.

"Carter, please don't argue with me on this. Will the tel'tac fly?"

"Yes, sir." Her face was expressionless.

"Then carry out my orders."

Looking suitably chastened, if still recalcitrant, Carter rapped out a "Yessir!" and turned to give orders to everyone else.

It didn't take long to stow all their equipment in the tel'tac cargo hold. Jack used the time to prepare his own equipment for a twelve klick trek across the desert: water, weapons... Finally he headed into the cockpit. "Report, Teal'c."

"All systems are go, O'Neill!"

Jack felt the tiniest hint of a smile trying to escape. "You've been watching _Thunderbirds_ again, haven't you?"

Teal'c just smiled...slightly.

"Okay, buddy, she's all yours. Let's get these people home."

* * *

"Hey, Jacob! Who's flying the damn ship?"

"I told Teal'c to take it back to the gate."

"You can't do that! Teal'c is under my command..."

"I talked him into it, okay, Jack? You asked me to help, didn't you? Well, I'm here to help you."

Jack couldn't do anything about it now: the tel'tac had already taken off. It didn't stop him from arguing. "Help, how? What the hell can you do now?"

Jacob shrugged, lifting a hand to shield his eyes from the sun. "Help you think this thing out."

"How? You've never been inside Daniel's head, you don't know how he thinks, how he reacts to things..."

"Not like you do? I know that." Jacob's look was impatient. "Look, you do realise, if we don't find anything here or on the trek back to the stargate, there will be nothing more you can do to find Daniel. Not for the moment, anyway. Don't you?"

Jack didn't need to be reminded. "I'm doing what I have to do, Jacob. I didn't ask for your company!"

To his amazement, that fetched a grin. "What? Is that supposed to be an insult or something, Jack? C'mon, this will go a whole lot easier with someone around to keep you from brooding too much."

"Maybe I want to brood," Jack returned mulishly. "What business is it of yours, anyway?"

"Still throwing stones, huh? Okay, tell you what. You try and put me inside Daniel's head, and there'll be two pairs of eyes looking. Two minds thinking about what could have happened instead of just you."

Jack mentally threw up his hands in surrender. He was stuck with Jacob's company whether he wanted it or not, unless he wanted to shoot him or something. Carter wouldn't like that. He started to walk around the crater. "It's not that simple, Jake. I'm no teacher and there's not exactly a _Daniel Jackson 101_ module you can take. The man's a one-off, you must have realised that by now."

He heard rather than saw Jacob's grin in reply. "Actually, I haven't spent much time with him. But I _do_ know Entar and I can tell you how he thinks. What he would do in any given situation."

Jack made no reply to that. For a long time there neither of them spoke. They just walked around the lip of the crater, stopping every now and then to rummage through the debris. Most of it was unrecognisable, but occasionally they came to a place that seemed to have been somewhat shielded from the explosion, where things were more intact. Looking up from some pieces of what could have been a console, Jack noticed that Jacob was also ferreting around in the rubble a few metres to his right.

He sighed with impatience. "Jacob..."

The look on Jacob's face when he met Jack's eyes gave Jack's heart a little jump-start. "What? You found something?" _Something I didn't? I already looked over there._

"This bracelet. It belonged to Cleis." He straightened up, holding out something thin and glittering. "Daniel must have taken it as a memento of him."

Jack scrambled over the wreckage to take a closer look at what Jacob had found. It was a plain-linked chain made of some metal Jack didn't immediately recognise. Reaching out he took it from Jacob's palm. The clasp was broken.

"It belonged to Cleis' wife," Jacob told him. "The clasp was always breaking. Easy enough to fix, but with Cleis there was always something more important..."

There was something in the voice that wasn't quite Jacob, but it took Jack a moment or two to realise it was Selmak's voice he was hearing. He found it didn't bother him. Finding Daniel was more important than grousing about sharing this journey with a Tok'Ra. Jacob could help. So, perhaps, could Selmak.

Jack shrugged. His fist tightened about the thin links, he felt his own warmth transfer to the metal. _I'll find you, Daniel. If you're out there to find, I'll do it._

The sinking feeling in his gut was the growing certainty that no matter how much he wanted to complete this self-appointed task, he simply wouldn't be able to do it. Jack, however, couldn't shake hands with that just yet. He could almost see himself turning his back on it, determined to search every inch of every other possibility before he would be willing to admit he had no choice but to abandon the search. Destroying his career and possibly the SGA in the process... No. Not going to happen.

Jack slipped the bracelet into a pocket and went back to the search. "If you or Selmak come across anything else..."

"We'll tell you, Jack. Don't worry."

* * *

A couple of hours later Jack and Jacob were on the trail back to the stargate, ten klicks off. Both of them walked steadily, eyes scanning the ground around them and to the horizon, alternately. So far, nothing.

Share Daniel with Jacob. With Selmak. Jack hadn't refused the suggestion; he supposed that was tacit agreement. Share Daniel.

God! He'd never really _had_ to before. Well, yeah, okay, initially with Hammond and yech! that weasel Samuels, but that was nothing. _He saved my life and found the way back for my men and me._ That was a simple statement of the facts. But the inside of Daniel's head...

"What do you want to know?"

"Huh?"

"Daniel. What do you want to know?"

"Well, he seemed like a very self-sufficient man. Well able to look after himself. Altruistic, possibly too much so. How'm I doing so far?"

"Aw, heck, you don't need me. Yeah, that's pretty close." Jacob was walking slightly ahead; Jack saw him nod an acknowledgement. "And I know what you're doing, you know," he added.

"So why are you beating up on yourself so much?"

Jack felt tears — real _tears_! — sting his eyes and suddenly struggled to breathe. God, he was more tired than he thought. Striding ahead, he overtook Jacob, needing at least the illusion of solitude now he was faced with this: the inescapable truth. "Always running off...getting into things he shouldn't... Always gotta touch..."

"Jack?"

"Daniel. So damned stubborn. Never could say no. So damned self-sacrificing sometimes. I couldn't make sense of it. He took a staff blast for me on that first mission — did Carter ever tell you that? I mean, why? He didn't know anything about me, except I was some hard-assed military type who wouldn't give him the time of day if I passed him on the street..."

"I don't believe that..."

Jack angrily waved the comment off as unimportant. He was talking here and if he stopped before he got it all out he would never start again. Suddenly it was incredibly important to say this. Jack didn't know if he could get it all out without losing it, but he was damn well going to try. This was Daniel, damn it. Could be all he had left...

No! Not going there, can't go there, at least not until this was said. "I didn't give him any reason to believe otherwise. And it's never enough, you know! He came back from that other reality with some crazy story about an attack by Apophis and there was nothing, I mean _nothing_ to back him up. As far as the rest of us knew it was a hallucination or something. But he got to me. Persuaded me we had to gate to the co-ordinates he got from the other SGC. And we _did_, Jacob. He was right. He was right about everything. _Daniel_ saved the world that day. Wasn't the last time, either. Don't ask me how he does it...it just seems like it's always him and it's always something crazy, but he's always right and he saves us all."

Jack barked out a laugh, short and harsh. God, how far had he walked without seeing anything? His eyes on the ground or on the desert around them but seeing only Daniel. "Shit. I should go back aways. Might have missed something..."

"Jack."

Jacob's hand on his arm pulled him up short. The look on the older man's face made Jack feel like an open book.

"Entar is old, Jack. Old, experienced and he cares. He wouldn't have invested so much into his research if he didn't. I'm sure that he asked Daniel to be his host because of Daniel's situation, more than his own. Daniel and Cleis were friends, sure, but Entar would have wanted to do anything he could to improve Daniel's circumstances. From what you've told me, it wouldn't have been just the physical pain that was a burden for Daniel. A man like that needs to be useful..."

"Jacob, look, this is all very nice, but it doesn't help. He's out there, somewhere, and I don't know where..."

"Or..."

"He should be dead half a dozen times over! I know as well as you do there's a first time for everything, but that boy keeps on beating the odds. So yeah, he could be dead, but that doesn't mean I'll quit looking. Ever. Until I find him. Dead or alive."

"And Sam is doing every logical thing to make that possible. So, once we reach the stargate, then what? Are you going to go over the trail just one more time in case you missed something?"

Damn. He must really be losing it if he was _that_ transparent. Jack knew what Jacob was saying. He even knew it made absolute sense, but this wasn't about that. It wasn't...

This was about _him_. About how he couldn't accept that here and now, on this planet, there was nothing further he could do to find Daniel. Even if he found something..._anything_...of Daniel's on the remaining miles between their position and the gate...so what? What would that tell him he didn't already know: Daniel had been here.

"Leave it up to Entar to take care of him, Jack. If Daniel _is_ alive, Entar will do everything possible to make sure he stays that way."

"And what if Entar is dead somehow, some way?"

"Then trust Daniel to take care of himself. Can you do that?"

Just for a moment, Jack's memory threw up a vivid recollection. He was with Sara in their kitchen, watching Charlie pick up his lunch from the breakfast table.

_"Sara, maybe I should take him. Just today. I mean, I have to go in three days and you know I want to spend as much time as I can with him..."_

_Sara's smile was almost sad. "Jack, you'll see him this afternoon when he gets home from school. This isn't about spending time with him and you know it. He's a big boy now and he can walk to school on his own. I walked with him last week and he acted embarrassed by it. You want his friends to call him a mommy's boy?"_

_"Okay...I guess you're right..."_

Jack could still remember how that realisation about his son hurt. He should have been proud of the way his baby son was growing up but all he could feel was a sense of loss. He could still feel it now. About Daniel.

Jack shook his head, wincing at what felt like an icy hand gripping his heart, hard, for a second. Then he took a deep breath and summoned the memory of Daniel's face, confident, strong, happy...right after they freed Skaara from the Goa'uld.

_If I'm going to keep going at the SGA, or even remain part of the stargate program, I have to move on, Daniel. I know you'd be telling me to do that, if you were here. I'll never give up on you, Daniel, but I'm trusting Entar to cover your six. And if he's gone, I'm trusting you to stay alive long enough for us to find you...or for you to find your own way home. If you're gone...then the best thing I can do, the only way I have to honour your memory is to carry on what we both started five years ago. I...I can't promise fairer than that, Daniel. Okay?_

_...Okay..._

Taking another deep breath, Jack looked back at Jacob. The two of them continued on again, toward the stargate.

* * *

Back at the SGA, Jack offered the bracelet they had found to Jacob. Jacob refused to take it.

"Hold on to it, Jack. Give it back to Daniel when you find him."

Jack nodded, appreciating the words more than anything. Then there was a debriefing to go through, with Kovecek, and the standard medical everyone had to go through on returning from off-world. He patiently endured a lecture from Doc Warner about overdoing it out in the desert. And now he was tired. Exhausted.

Entering his own small apartment he shut the door behind him and leaned back against it, uttering a deep sigh. All he wanted to do now was sit down with a stiff drink and watch a game. He poured himself a couple of fingers of bourbon and automatically reached for the last set of tapes Daniel sent him...

...Kept sending him, even after he moved out of Jack's place on Earth, even after Jack did everything possible to wreck their friendship...

He was going to have to report directly to General Vidrine about all this. The sudden realisation turned the alcohol sour in his stomach and he set the glass down on a side table. He got up and went over to the window. The view still seemed strange to him...to be so obviously on base but to have this incredible landscape just outside.

Jack hadn't yet written a report on their search. He would have to let Vidrine know he had effectively abandoned his post to indulge in a personal mission. Vidrine would be pissed...and rightly so, Jack admitted. Had he accumulated enough points with the general to get away with this? He sure hoped so.

Going back to his easy-chair, he reached for the baseball tapes again. And hesitated again.

Maybe watching a game wasn't such a good idea. Chances were he'd get to thinking about Daniel and then he'd get to brooding...

He was tired, but maybe some company would be a good thing. Carter? If she was awake, she would be working on those readings. He shouldn't interrupt her. Teal'c...would be in kel'no'reem at this hour. No chance there.

He picked up a copy of the duty roster from his table, wondering who would be awake at this hour. His eye fell on Major Winters' name: the senior officer on duty in the control room. Winters had lived in Russia as a young man — his father was an American ex-pat, a teacher — and he once suggested to Jack he might offer a different perspective on that country. Jack actually agreed to talk to him about it, but never found the time and wasn't really that interested. The Russians had been the enemy for too much of his life. Now might be an opportune time. The control room would be quiet; no teams were due back until tomorrow.

Shrugging off his fatigue, Jack threw on a jacket and left his quarters. A small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. Cross-cultural socialising...or something. Daniel would be proud of him.


	20. The Other Side

Colonel Jack O'Neill was roused from a pleasant dream by the blare of his alarm clock. He switched it off with a muttered curse and, satisfied he was now awake, turned to his lover, intending to start the day the best way.

The bed beside him was empty and cold.

An instant of confusion was dispelled by the inevitable, crushing weight of memory and grief. Oh, god, why? Every fucking morning he woke the same way. Every morning he looked to the other side of the bed and found himself alone. Every morning, for the briefest possible moment, he didn't know why he was alone. And every fucking morning he remembered.

Remembered that his lover was dead, and that he had allowed it to happen.

Every morning for ten days it had been the same. Each time, he had to go through it all again, the grief as raw as the moment his world ended. Every morning he watched the dawn light filter through the window, illuminating his empty bed, and wondered if he even had a right to his grief. Maybe, if he had done things differently, he wouldn't have to ask that question. Maybe his lover would still be alive.

He dragged himself out of bed and into the shower. Even that simple part of his morning routine was a gauntlet he had to run. Everywhere was filled with reminders. He could have cleared the house, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. He needed the memories. They were all he had left. Maybe he was a masochist.

So there were still two toothbrushes beside the basin. Two towels on the towel rail. His lover's favourite shampoo still lay in the shower. He still shaved with a blade instead of an electric razor: a change he made after they moved in together. He stared at himself in the mirror and tried to tell himself that the tears were from soap in his eyes.

Memories. All he had left of the sweetest thing in his lousy life. His Daniel.

* * *

By the time he reached Cheyenne Mountain Jack's mask was back in place. Not that it would fool those who knew him best. Not for a second. Appearances mattered, though.

He was late arriving, he realised as he passed the security checkpoint. It was the second time this week. He changed into BDUs in record time, trying hard not to look at the empty locker. SG-1 couldn't go on without a fourth member. He would have to select a replacement soon. God help whomever he ended up with.

He reached the briefing room with a few seconds to spare. He was the last to arrive — of course. General Hammond met his eyes briefly, ignoring Jack's late arrival. He muttered an apology anyway and sat down at the table. He couldn't look at Teal'c. Couldn't bear to see the sympathy in the Jaffa's eyes. Not today. Probably not ever.

This wasn't good enough. To be a little off his game was understandable. To be this screwed up was unacceptable. He wasn't doing his job, wasn't behaving as Hammond's 2IC should and certainly wasn't in a fit state to lead SG-1 out on a mission. He should report to the infirmary and be done with it; Fraiser was sharp, she wouldn't let him stay on active duty if she knew everything. But if he went to Fraiser he would be admitting he couldn't cut it any more. He wasn't ready for that yet.

Jack missed most of Carter's presentation. It was nothing he didn't already know anyway: planet, atmosphere, possible traces of naqadah in the samples. A nice, boring mineral survey. He could handle that.

"SG-1, you have a go."

* * *

«_Daniel!_»

More an impulse than Entar's thought, it brought Daniel to full consciousness. He remained still, automatically taking stock of his body. The pain in his thigh and arm was gone. «_You healed us?_»

«_As much as I am able._»

Daniel was lying half-buried in sand. Above him, the sun was hot. His memories of the deserts of Egypt and Abydos mingled with Entar's memory of death in the desert and Daniel became aware of an overwhelming thirst. He was beginning to get scared. «_How long have we been here?_»

«_Five days._» The thought carried a tinge of worry mingled with reassurance. «_Help is coming, my friend. That's why I woke you._»

«_Help?_» Daniel tried to open his eyes and found they were gummed shut. His body was stiff, but he began to move a hand to rub his eyes. Something warm touched his neck and he started, the shock opening his eyes wide. His vision was blurred but he made out an arm clad in desert camouflage, and a hand reaching for him...looking for a pulse, Daniel guessed. Someone from home? Could it be?

He tried to speak but his mouth felt full of sand; no sound emerged from him. He tried to turn over and found strong hands helping him. A moment later the face that swam before his eyes was Jack's. Jack? What was Jack doing here?

"Daniel?" Jack said incredulously. Daniel heard real shock in his voice. So Jack wasn't here looking for him.

Daniel's heart sank. He didn't have the strength to fight with Jack now. He tried to speak again, but couldn't. He couldn't do anything but lie there, helpless on the sand. Jack pulled the water bottle from his utility belt and held Daniel's head gently while he poured water between Daniel's lips. Oh, god, that felt good! Plain water had never tasted so wonderful. He drank eagerly.

«_Five days without water, even I can't help you much. Take it slow, my friend._»

"Can you talk?" Jack was still holding him.

Daniel blinked, suddenly noticing the SG-1 patch on Jack's clothing. That made no sense: Jack wasn't part of SG-1.

"Daniel, can you talk?" Jack asked again, his voice soft with concern.

Daniel tried. "I...I guess I can." It was no more than a whisper.

"It's really you," Jack whispered back, obviously relieved. "But...how? God, Danny, I thought I'd lost you forever!"

«_Danny?_» Daniel was still wondering where that had come from when Jack slipped an arm around his shoulders, helping him to sit up. Daniel leaned into Jack's strength gratefully, the acrimony between them instantly forgiven...if not forgotten. His friend was back.

"I don't understand," Jack said. "What happened to you? How did you get here?"

"I...I don't know, exactly." Daniel managed to say. "It means a lot that you came looking for me."

«If_ he did,_» Entar warned.

Jack held him closer, brushing sand from Daniel's cheek. "Danny...I will always find you." He leaned down and kissed Daniel, full on his lips.

«_What the hell...?_»

«_Easy, my friend. He's not who you think. You're not who he thinks._»

«_Huh?_» Then it became clear. The singularity...the explosion... Daniel pulled away from Jack.

"What's wrong?" Jack asked.

"Water?" Speaking was easier already.

"Yeah." Jack held the bottle to Daniel's lips again. This time Daniel was hyper-aware of Jack's body language, and the way Jack held him. Like a lover. He drank gratefully, his confusion growing. "Um...Jack...I'm...um...I'm not who you think I am."

Jack drew away from him at once. "You're not Daniel." His eyes were filled with pain and confusion. "You can't be Daniel." Jack's forehead creased in a frown.

"Um..."

«_Cut to it, my friend_.»

"...I am Daniel Jackson," Daniel said. "But...I think...I think I'm in the wrong world. This isn't my quantum reality."

"Say what?"

«_How am I supposed to explain this to Jack? He's no scientist_.» "I don't know how to explain it. But you're with SG-1."

"Well, yeah. Have been for nearly six years."

"Not where I'm from. You took command of SG Alpha two years ago."

"What's SG Alpha?"

"Exactly. Somehow I've ended up in a different quantum universe."

"Alternate reality?" Jack hazarded, still frowning.

"Yes! That's it."

The frown vanished. "For crying out loud! You've got to be kidding!"

"Wish I was," Daniel sighed. It was getting hard to talk again.

"Okay. You need medical attention for starters. Then we'll try to straighten this out. Can you walk if I help you?"

Daniel nodded. "I...think so."

«_You can. I'll help_.»

"Help me up, Jack?"

"You betcha." Jack stood and helped Daniel to his feet, supporting him with an arm around his waist. "Lean on me, Danny...um...Daniel." They began to walk, slowly. "Maybe Carter can explain this," Jack added. "She and Teal'c should be back at the gate by now."

Daniel accepted Jack's help gladly, but he knew Jack well enough to guess that their problems were just beginning. He still felt very weak. Entar was helping, doing something to strengthen his endurance, but it felt like they walked a hundred miles toward the stargate. Too far. Eventually it became too hard to put one foot in front of the other. He was leaning heavily on Jack, but he just couldn't stand any longer.

"Jack...please..." Daniel let himself collapse to his knees. He couldn't go on. Once again he felt Jack's arms around him.

"More water?" Jack offered.

"Yes...thanks." This time Daniel took the bottle from Jack, drinking slowly.

"Daniel, why don't you wait here? I'll get Carter and Teal'c."

Daniel nodded gratefully. He watched Jack stride away from him. «_So we're in an alternate universe. One where Jack kisses me...and where am I? I mean, if Sam and Teal'c are part of SG-1, shouldn't I be, too?_»

«_If that's all that's different here, we are lucky. Be careful, my friend_.»

«_Careful? It's Jack!_»

«_Not the Jack you know_.»

«_No kidding. Are we actually lovers in this reality?_»

«_It seems so. And he doesn't know about me._»

«_Good point_.»

Daniel looked up as he heard Jack returning. Sam and Teal'c were at his side. Daniel struggled to his feet; it was difficult but he managed. He met Teal'c's eyes and saw the Jaffa's eyes widen with shock, the emotion naked on his face. Why was Teal'c so shocked to see him?

Then Daniel looked at Sam, and it was his turn to be shocked. Sam's hand was on her gun. Her expression was wary and her eyes, when she met his, were filled with ice. Where was her hostility coming from? Were he and Sam enemies in this reality?

«_She senses my presence, my friend_.» Entar, too, was uncomfortable.

«_Oh, shit! She thinks I'm a Goa'uld_?»

«_Probably_.»

Sam's eyes never left Daniel. "Colonel," she said. "Sir, that's not Daniel."

"I know that, Carter. He says..."

"With respect, Sir, you don't know. I can – "

«_Quickly, my friend_,» Entar urged.

Daniel interrupted Sam hurriedly. "Sam, it's not what you think. I just didn't get around to mentioning it."

Jack turned to him, his eyes suddenly narrow with suspicion. "Mentioning what?"

«_Here goes..._» "Sam can feel my symbiot, Jack. I'm Tok'Ra." He braced himself for the explosion.

"You're what!"

"Long story."

Sam stepped forward, her eyes still cold. "Who are you?"

If he couldn't convince Sam, he could end up with a bullet in his brain. Daniel swallowed back his fear. "I'm Daniel Jackson, Sam."

"Daniel is dead."

«_What?_» "Please, just hear me out. My symbiot is Entar. We were blended about a year ago. The Tok'Ra sent us to investigate and destroy a Goa'uld laboratory on this planet. I screwed it up and was still inside when it blew. The next thing I knew I was here. Same planet: I can tell by the stars. But there's no sign the lab was even here. I think the explosion somehow shifted me into a different quantum reality. Sam, please believe me. I know I'm not the Daniel you know. But I'm not your enemy."

She moved closer to him, her hand still on the P-90. "What laboratory?"

Daniel sighed. "I don't know. It doesn't seem to be here in this reality."

"What were they doing there? An explosion couldn't have done what you described."

Smart Sam. Daniel had missed that, he realised. "It wasn't a regular explosion. There was a minute singularity...I don't remember exactly. They were...feeding it. Heavy elements..."

"Why?"

"I think they were trying to control the temporal distortion produced by the singularity. I can't be sure."

Sam turned to Jack, letting her hand relax. "It is possible, Sir. Unlikely, but he could be telling the truth."

Jack nodded. "Then we go home and sort it out at the SGC."

"Is that a good idea, Sir? He could be Goa'uld."

Jack rounded on Sam instantly. Daniel saw real anger in his face. "And he could be telling the truth, Carter. Are you suggesting we leave Daniel here to die? Tell me to do that, Major. Tell me to let Daniel die again."

Jack's outburst was met with silence.

A moment later, Jack ordered curtly, "Teal'c. Dial home."

* * *

Daniel winced slightly as the cannula slid into his arm. "Is that really necessary?" he asked, knowing the answer.

Janet's eyes met his, coolly professional. "It is if you want to prove who you are." She filled a test tube with his blood and taped the cannula in place. "Lie down," she instructed.

He had been sitting on the edge of the infirmary bed, trying not to notice the armed guards who were there on Jack's orders. An order Jack had chosen not to explain; Daniel was grateful for that. This felt very strange. It was a long time since Janet had been so distant with him. Clearly their relationship wasn't the same here. It was difficult to look into her eyes and not see his Janet. Daniel lay down as instructed.

"You are severely dehydrated," she told him. "How long since you've had a drink?"

"Jack gave me some water when he found me. Before that, five days."

"You're in good shape for five days without water," Janet commented sceptically.

"Jack didn't tell you?" Daniel was surprised. "I guess not." He hesitated, but there was no point in concealing it. "You'll...um...you'll know when you check my blood anyway. I...um..."

«_It might be better coming from me_.»

«_Be my guest_.» Daniel relaxed, allowing Entar to take control of their body.

"I am Tok'Ra," Entar volunteered. "Daniel is my host. I was not able to prevent dehydration but I could limit its adverse effects." He didn't mention Daniel's other injuries.

Janet took a step back when Entar began to speak. It hurt Daniel to see her afraid of him. As Jack had been, back at the SGA. Ironic that their feelings for him seemed to be reversed in this reality.

«_Very ironic_.» There was an underlying amusement in Entar's thought that Daniel did not share.

"Why didn't you leave through the stargate?" Janet asked. "You could have found a more hospitable planet."

"I was unable to locate the stargate," Entar explained. "It wasn't where I remembered it. I searched for the stargate without success. When Daniel was too weak to go on I expected we would both die there."

Janet nodded an acknowledgement. Silently, she attached a tube to the cannula. "I can replace the fluids you've lost. If that's all that's wrong you should recover quickly...Daniel." The tube led to a bag of clear liquid. She checked it and began to turn away, apparently satisfied.

«_My turn_.» "Thank you," Daniel said. Unable to stop himself, he reached for her hand as she moved away. "Janet, wait. Look, I'm sorry if Entar scared you. I realise it's different here, for you and the Daniel you know. But Entar is part of me. This is normal for me now."

"I'm not afraid of you," Janet told him, moving away.

Daniel knew she was lying, but let it drop. What was the point in arguing?

«_Sleep, my friend. I can heal you quickly now_.»

Daniel looked up at the grey infirmary ceiling, then closed his eyes.

* * *

"Is he really Daniel?"

The sound of his name on Jack's lips woke Daniel. He stayed where he was, looking for Jack. He saw him a few feet away from the bed, with Janet.

"I've checked his DNA, fingerprints and dental records. Everything matches, Colonel. Except..."

"Except for the snake in his head?"

Daniel winced, hearing that.

"He is host to a symbiot, yes. He says it's Tok'Ra."

"Yeah, he told me the same thing." Jack sounded tired. "I don't suppose we have a test for that."

"None I know of, Colonel."

«_If Major Carter carries the memories of Jolinar in this reality, she may be able to verify who I am_.»

«_Unless you're a Goa'uld in this reality. It's possible, isn't it?_»

«_Unlikely_.» Entar took offence at that.

Daniel began to sit up. "Jack..."

He got Jack's attention fast. "How are you feeling?"

"Back to normal," Daniel answered. "Thanks to you."

"Well enough to attend a debriefing?"

"That's military-speak for interrogation, right?"

Jack smiled wryly. "You got it. Hammond wants to talk to you."

«_Hammond? General Hammond is alive?_»

Janet said, "You seem fine, Daniel. I'll release you from the infirmary if you're willing."

She was offering him an escape, Daniel realised. He smiled his thanks, but said, "I'll have to face it sooner or later. There's no reason for me to stay here."

"Then I'll get you some clothing. Colonel, if you can wait a few moments..."

"I'll go on ahead, Doc. Can you come up with him? We'll need you in the briefing, too."

* * *

In the familiar-yet-unfamiliar briefing room, Daniel took a seat but decided to stay silent until someone spoke to him. He was aware of everyone's eyes on him. Everyone except Jack; Jack wouldn't look at him. Sam was watching him warily. Daniel understood that; she could sense Entar within him and she had no way to know he wasn't a Goa'uld. Daniel could feel the trace of a blending within her, too, but he was used to that. It was new to this Sam. Teal'c was wary as well, but he nodded in Daniel's direction when Daniel met his eyes: an acknowledgment of friendship. General Hammond...now, there was a shocker. Daniel missed the horrors of the plague that decimated the SGC, but now, through Entar, Daniel remembered it all. He remembered the general's last losing battle for his life. But the general was here at the head of the table, alive. As vital as Daniel remembered him.

Janet gave her report first, confirming as she had in the infirmary that Daniel was physically who he appeared to be. She mentioned Entar's presence, adding that Daniel had volunteered that information.

Then all eyes turned to Daniel again.

The general asked him, "How did you get to that planet?"

"By tel'tac. I was on a mission for the Tok'Ra."

"We found no evidence of Goa'uld presence on that world," Teal'c announced.

"So I guessed," Daniel agreed. "When I reached the planet, there was a fully functioning base there. It was a gilash'ad...the closest translation is laboratory." He saw Teal'c nod slightly, confirming his translation. He went on, "My mission was to find out what they were doing and if possible to destroy the gilash'ad. A female Goa'uld , Jar'ok was conducting an experiment for Anbis. I carried out my mission, but something went wrong. I was discovered, and I was still inside when the generator blew and the experiment was still running. I don't know for sure what happened. I believe that the explosion created a quantum rift. One moment I was in the middle of a burning building, the next I was where you found me. Same planet, different quantum universe."

"He means alternate reality, Sir," Jack put in helpfully.

"Thank you, Colonel. How could an explosion do that?" Hammond asked.

Daniel bit his lip, not sure how much to say. "It wasn't the explosion. It was a combination of things. General, I can try to explain it, but this is way beyond physics as you know it on Earth..."

"Try me," Sam broke in. It was a challenge.

Daniel smiled at her. "The Goa'uld had created a contained singularity. They were systematically introducing to it certain super heavy elements."

"For what purpose? Anything introduced to a singularity would be lost."

"Not lost. Just trapped within it. From the readings, I think it was an attempt to harness the temporal effect of the zero gravitational field. Super heavy elements added to the density of the singularity appeared to have a regulatory effect..."

"That's impossible."

"Only according to current theory. Forgive me, Sam, but the Goa'uld are way ahead of you."

Jack interrupted. "In English, people. Please. You're giving me a headache."

Daniel grinned at Jack. He had missed that, too. "The bottom line, Jack...General. They were playing with time."

"Why?"

«_Tell them_.»

Daniel sighed. "Strategic weapons. Exactly how Anubis intends to apply this knowledge, I'm not sure. I wasn't there long enough to learn the full details, but I can tell you my guess."

"Please do."

"Here's one application: send a device through the stargate to the planet you plan to attack. Once it reaches the other side, it is activated by sending a radio or subspace signal through the open wormhole. On the destination planet, time stops. The gravitational effect will keep the wormhole open a long time past the 38 minute limit, but the effect isn't strong enough to threaten the planet of origin. Meanwhile, a fleet of motherships is on its way to the target planet. When they arrive, they take up positions just outside the temporal field. The device is then shut down – again, via the stargate – and the motherships attack instantly."

Sam had gone white. "Is that possible?"

"Theoretically? Yes. The experiment I saw hadn't got there yet, so in practice, maybe not."

"It gives a whole new meaning to element of surprise. We would be completely unprepared, General."

Hammond had grasped the implications as quickly as Sam. "You said you destroyed this laboratory?"

Daniel nodded. "I did. In my reality. But I know Anubis: that couldn't have been his only outpost. I have an idea where the others are, but I can't do anything about it."

"Where are they?" Jack asked insistently. As all eyes turned to him, he explained, "It could be the same here, couldn't it?"

"Give me something to write with." Immediately, Daniel had a pen and paper. He wrote down the stargate addresses he had committed to memory at the gilash'ad and passed the paper to Jack. "That's what I pulled out of their database before I got caught. But if you're thinking of recon, Jack, I strongly advise against it. If you send a MALP through and Anubis does have a base there, he'll know you're onto him. And he will attack Earth."

"Earth is a protected planet," Sam pointed out.

"That won't stop him. Anubis is a renegade. He opposes the System Lords and I don't think he's afraid of them."

"We could pass Daniel's information to the Tok'Ra, Sir," Sam suggested.

"And never hear from them again," Jack said.

"That's enough, Colonel." Hammond's words silenced everyone. "Doctor Jackson, if we believe your story, what is it you want from us?"

«_What _do_ we want?_»

«_A chance to warn our people_.»

«_Is there any way we can go home?_»

«_I don't know, my friend. I can't think of a way_.»

Daniel took a deep breath. "General, what I want is to go home. I'm the only one who knows what Anubis is trying to do. If the Tok'Ra and Earth aren't warned, a lot of people are going to die in my reality." He sighed. "But I can see no way for me to go home. In theory I could try to recreate the experiment, but in practice it's far too dangerous. Even if I were successful in creating another quantum rift, chances are it would take me into another reality, not back to my own." He glanced at Sam as he spoke, she nodded, agreeing with his guess. "So, as I seem to be stuck here, General, my only choice seems to be to ask you for asylum. I know you are reluctant to trust me. I understand that. None of you really know me, and..." he looked at Jack, "...and I have this snake in my head. I'm willing to take any test you like to prove my story, but ultimately it comes down to my word. So all I can say is this: I've been part of the SGC on Earth for more than five years. That didn't change when I was blended with Entar. I have given my skills and knowledge freely to the SGC and I'll do the same here, if you will allow me. If you give me...us...a chance."

"And if we won't?" Hammond's question was blunt.

Another deep breath. "That's not my call, is it? If you really can't trust me, I'd rather take my chances with the Tok'Ra. That's a risk to my life and to Entar's; the Tok'Ra don't give quarter to Goa'uld's. But it's a chance I'm willing to take."

Jack said, "I say we give it a try, General. If you want my opinion."

«_Jack's taking our side?_»

«_He's not the Jack you know._»

«_You can say that again!_»

Hammond gestured to the SFs guarding the door. "Take Doctor Jackson to a holding cell," he ordered. Then, to Daniel, he added, "Just until I reach a decision."

"I understand, General." Daniel stood, going with the SFs without argument.

As he left the room, he heard Jack saying, "Did I get this right? He blew up a black hole and it kicked him into a different universe?"

Daniel smiled to himself. «_I do miss that. Jack_.»

«_It is an unlikely story, my friend_.»

«_Yeah. I just hope Sam is smart enough to give us a chance_.»

«_She still sees the world through Einstein's eyes_.»

«_No, you underestimate her. She has Jolinar's knowledge, too, remember? I don't think she can consciously access it, but it's there just the same_.»

* * *

A holding cell. A metal-framed bed, no blankets. A single light source and a security camera. Nothing else. Daniel lay down on the bed and tried to relax. He was probably in for a long wait.

He reviewed everything he could remember about the gilash'ad. Was there a safe way to recreate the experiment? Thinking about it passed a couple of hours, Daniel and Entar looking at the problem from every angle. But they had to conclude the danger would be too great. They couldn't be sure what had happened on the Alkar they left behind. The singularity could have expanded. The quantum rift might have vanished, but it could still be there, and neither of them could guess what effect that might have. On the gilash'ad planet, the risk had been acceptable: it was an uninhabited world, supporting very little life. Anubis' work had to be destroyed. Collateral damage was acceptable. But if he tried the same thing here on Earth...

It was too great a risk.

After a few hours alone in the cell, Daniel heard Jack's voice outside the door. Moments later the door opened and Jack walked in.

"How're you doing?"

"Bored to death. But I'm fine. Anything's better than where I was."

"Well, Hammond thinks you deserve a chance, Daniel, but we have no way to know if the snake – symbiot – in your head is Tok'Ra or Goa'uld. So we can't just let you go. Gotta keep an eye on you."

"I understand. Though, if I were Goa'uld, Jack, the chances are you'd know it by now. They're not known for subtlety."

Jack nodded briefly. "I thought the same thing. The bottom line is this: if you want we can move you into guest quarters on the base. There'll still be guards on the door, but you'll be a lot more comfortable. Or...if you want...you can stay at my place. Hammond agreed to that. If you want."

Daniel remembered Jack kissing him back on the planet. He glanced up at the security camera, knowing he couldn't say anything here. Not without getting Jack into trouble. Feeling a little uneasy about the decision, he said, "Your place sounds okay. Thank you."

* * *

From the outside, Jack's house looked no different from the way Daniel remembered it. It felt odd, walking into the house where, in his reality, he had been living for two years, as a guest. Unlike his home, though, this house still had Jack's personality firmly stamped upon it, right down to the display case of medals over the fireplace.

"I'm going to order pizza. I really don't want to cook tonight. Hawaiian okay?"

"My favourite."

"I know. With chocolate fudge cake for dessert." Jack picked up the telephone and Daniel waited, still a little uncomfortable, while Jack placed the order. Jack hung up the phone. "They said ten minutes. Probably means half an hour. Do you want to change out of those BDUs? I've got some clothes here that should fit you."

For a moment Daniel wondered why Jack would think they were the same size, then he caught on. "You mean you have...um...your Daniel's clothing...here?"

"Yeah." It was Jack's turn to look uncomfortable. "He...uh..."

Gently, Daniel said, "You two were involved."

"You figured that out, huh? Or are you and I...in your world...?"

"No, I'm not involved with Jack. I don't think we're even friends any more."

"Really? I can't imagine that. Me and Danny...not friends? What happened?"

«_He thinks I'm a Goa'uld_.»

«_No, he thinks _I_ am_.» Entar corrected.

«_Same thing_.» Daniel tapped his forehead. "Jack doesn't trust Entar. My symbiot," he explained.

"Oh." Jack fell silent, avoiding Daniel's eyes for a moment. When he looked up again, he said, "You know, that's another thing I can't imagine. Danny used to have nightmares about being taken by the Goa'uld."

«_Thanks for the reminder_.» Daniel suppressed a shudder. "I know. I had the same nightmares."

"So why would you volunteer for something like that? You did volunteer, right?"

Daniel smiled. "I did volunteer," he confirmed.

«_Volunteer? You practically begged me_.»

«_I _did_ beg_.» He added, "The reason is kind of a long story."

"Shorten it."

Perhaps Jack didn't intend it to sound like an order, but that was what Daniel heard. It annoyed him. "I was hurt, he was dying," he said curtly. "That's the short version." Jack didn't answer, but Daniel saw the hurt in his eyes. "Oh, god, Jack, I'm sorry. I had a huge fight with Jack over this. My Jack, I mean. I'm just touchy." Jack still said nothing, and Daniel couldn't read his expression. More than uncomfortable now, he looked for an escape. "Um...is it okay if I take a shower? I'd like to wash that planet out of my hair."

* * *

  


### Later

Jack had left a selection of clothing for him. Not surprisingly, everything was the right size. The only thing missing was something to tie his hair. Daniel towel-dried his hair as best he could, ran a comb through it and left it at that. He dressed in clothes that felt like his own, then headed out of the room.

«_Once more unto the breach..._»

«_He is as uncomfortable with this as you are, my friend_.»

«_I know_.»

«_So relax. You're making me tense_.»

«_Entar, we feel the same things. How about _you_ relax _me_?_»

«_Funny man_.» Entar's response came on a tide of sarcasm.

Daniel resisted the urge to laugh – he wasn't sure he would be able to explain the internal dialogue to Jack – but he was smiling as he reached the living room. Jack looked up as he entered. And stared. The sudden silence stretched out and Daniel felt his cheeks getting warm.

The Jack tore his gaze away. "Hungry?" he asked, waving a slice of pizza.

"Yes. Starving. Literally." As he spoke, Daniel realised it was the truth. He grabbed some pizza and settled into an easy chair. "Are you okay, Jack?"

Jack met his eyes with a smile. "You spent five days trapped on that planet with no food or water. Shouldn't that be my question?"

Daniel swallowed a mouthful. "I heal fast, Jack. There's no need to worry about me. But you...having me here is hard for you, isn't it?"

"Yes," Jack said. Nothing more.

Daniel let the silence go on, but not for long. "Jack, what happened to me? I mean, to him. Daniel."

"He's dead."

"I got that part. I'd like to know what happened."

Jack's anger with Sam flashed into Daniel's memory. What had he said? _Tell me to do that, Major. Tell me to let Daniel die again._ Again? He had no right to ask, but he needed to know.

Jack was silent for a moment. "We visited a planet not far behind us in technology. They had excavated a Goa'uld site and found a supply of something...naquadria. They were trying to build a bomb. Their so-called controlled experiment got out of control. Daniel went in to shut it down..."

"Radiation," Daniel said. He felt physically sick. The wave of emotion was coming from Entar, not from him, but Daniel couldn't discern the reason. It was so unusual for their emotions to be in conflict, Daniel was worried.

«_What are you hiding from me?_»

«_Later_.»

«_Now_.» A rush of images followed the demand, overwhelming him for a moment. Death. Thousands, perhaps millions of deaths. Entar's memory of what such a bomb could achieve. The Goa'uld who discovered this dangerous variation of naqadah became victim of his own creation before he was able to use it more than once. But once was more than enough.

"...save his life," said Jack.

With an effort, Daniel pushed the memories aside. He had no idea what Jack had been saying. Daniel swallowed. "Were you there when it happened?"

Jack shook his head. "If I was, I'd have stopped him."

"Then why did you say you let him die?" Daniel saw how much the conversation was costing Jack and regretted the question. It was too late to take it back.

"Carter contacted her father. We have one of those Goa'uld healing devices on the base; Selmak tried to use it to heal Danny. I told him to stop. And Danny died."

«_Why?_»

«_That device isn't capable of reversing radiation sickness. It might have saved his life, but..._»

«_Not much of a life?_»

«_Exactly. Unless they had access to a sarcophagus_.»

«_Which I wouldn't use even if it was the only way. I get it_.»

"Danny and I had talked about...you know, what he'd want if something...bad...happened. I thought it was the right call. But I...I'll never know for sure."

When Daniel looked at Jack, he thought he saw tears glittering in his eyes. "It was the right call, Jack," he said softly. "The hand device couldn't have healed him completely. If it were me...I wouldn't want to be kept alive in that state, without hope of recovery. You did the right thing."

"You think?"

"I know. Jack, Selmak might have saved his life, but he would have been permanently disabled. And — if I understand what happened to him — his condition would have slowly worsened anyway. No recovery, no hope. Unless, maybe, he would have accepted a symbiot but I'm not certain even that would have worked. Trust me on this one, Jack. You did the right thing."

It broke the ice between them. The rest of the evening was more relaxed. They watched a movie together, finished the pizza and drank a couple of beers. It felt comfortable. When the movie ended, Daniel offered to help Jack clear up. He gathered up the trash and carried it into the kitchen, with Jack following him.

In the kitchen he found a very different picture from the compulsive neatness of the rest of the house. The worktops were covered with papers and brown bags with shopping still inside. The sink was full of dirty crockery...it looked like several days worth.

"Did a bomb hit this place?" Daniel asked, dumping the pizza boxes into the trash.

Jack shrugged. I'll get round to it. I haven't felt like cleaning...or anything...since Danny..."

Once again, the grief was plain on Jack's face. Daniel couldn't bear to see his friend in pain. Impulsively, he went to Jack, opening his arms.

Jack returned the hug fiercely. Daniel let him, trying to fight his own emotions into the background. It was so confusing! It hurt him to see Jack hurting. Daniel knew what it was like to lose a lover; he knew what Jack must be feeling, and his heart went out to him for it. But the lover Jack had lost was...him. Daniel. Or sort of. More than sort of. It was a peculiar feeling.

It became even stranger when Jack released him. Daniel stepped back a little, thinking Jack would need some space. But Jack followed him, his hand coming up to cup Daniel's cheek. For a moment Daniel couldn't breathe. Jack's other hand slid into the small of his back and instead of feeling weird it felt...right. He couldn't move. Jack's fingers threaded through his hair to the back of his neck.

«_Last chance to back out, my friend_.» Entar's thought speared into his mind and Daniel pulled away from Jack. God, what was he thinking?

«_You weren't thinking_,» Entar pointed out, amused.

"Danny..."

«_Stop that!_» "_Daniel_," he said sharply. "I'm Daniel. I'm not your Danny, Jack."

«_But you want to be_.»

Jack backed away. "I'm sorry..."

"Jack, it's okay. I know this is hard."

Entar teased, «_That's not all that's..._»

«_Shut up! I'm trying to have a conversation, here_.» "Let's just forget it, Jack, okay?"

"Sure." Jack turned away from him abruptly. He began to empty one of the bags, stacking tinned food haphazardly in the cupboard.

«_You're curious. Admit it_.»

«_I'm not..._»

«_He turned you on_.»

«_Involuntary reaction_.»

«_Exactly my point_.»

Daniel closed his eyes and Entar opened a memory for him: another host, many centuries before, in a passionate embrace with a man.

«_Stop it_.» Daniel knew his protest carried no force.

Entar was laughing at him. «_You stop it. It's your brain_.» The image changed, his imagined/remembered lover becoming Jack O'Neill.

«You_ want him!_»

«_Damned right. And he wants you. That's two out of three and you're just in denial_.»

«_He doesn't want me. He wants his Danny_.»

«_I wonder..._»

The internal exchange took less than a second.

Later, when Daniel tried to remember, he had no idea whether it was his impulse, or Entar's, that moved him. He knew only that he crossed the kitchen to Jack, closing the space between them and reaching out to stroke his back.

Jack spun around. Their eyes met again.

"I'm sorry," Daniel said, meaning it. "It's weird for me, too." He reached up and kissed Jack. Just a gentle kiss on his lips. For two full seconds there was no response from Jack. The Daniel found himself crushed against his friend's body, held tightly in strong arms. Jack's tongue probed his mouth, dominant and demanding. Daniel was overwhelmed. He would have pulled away, but Jack held him too tightly.

«_Relax and enjoy it_.»

Daniel took Entar's advice. The moment seemed endless. A man's strength pressed against his body felt different from kissing a woman, and Jack tasted like no one else Daniel had ever kissed. Encouraged by Entar, Daniel relaxed in his friend's arms, surrendering to Jack's control. It was then that Jack drew away.

Daniel, breathless, gazed at Jack, unable to speak. Jack's eyes were dark, the pupils dilated and glittering in the harsh fluorescent light. For a long time, neither of them spoke.

Jack's hand cupped Daniel's cheek; a gentle, loving touch. "I want you," he said simply, his voice roughened by arousal.

Daniel couldn't help leaning into Jack's touch, but met his eyes regretfully. "You want him."

Jack's fingers combed through Daniel's hair. "Give me a little credit, would you? I loved Danny, and if there were any way to bring him back... But, listen: I was physically attracted to him long before I fell in love. Is it so impossible that I could find you attractive, too? Not because you look like him, but because you're both my type."

«_When did Jack develop such a smooth tongue?_» Daniel smiled. "It's...not impossible," he admitted.

"The things I loved most about Danny...his honesty, his passion, his courage, and his compassion...those are all things you have, too. So is it so unlikely that I might like you for those things? Maybe even love you a little?"

"Maybe..." Daniel whispered. This was coming from Jack! The man touching him and declaring love for him seemed further and further from the Jack O'Neill he thought he knew in his own reality.

"I want you," Jack repeated. He leaned in and kissed Daniel again.

Daniel melted into his arms, unable to stop himself responding to Jack. Heat was spreading throughout his body as Jack's tongue explored his mouth thoroughly. «_What the hell am I doing?_»

«_Following your instincts?_»

«_Or yours_.»

«_Same thing. Scared?_»

Jack's hands slid down Daniel's back, then cupped his buttocks.

«_Terrified. Oh, god, Entar, don't let me screw this up. Please_.»

«_Relax. I'll be here_.»

Breaking away from the kiss, Daniel gasped out one word. "Yes."

* * *

Jack was unlike any lover he had ever known. He seemed to know Daniel's body better than Daniel knew himself. Jack knew how to tease, how to draw out Daniel's pleasure until it was unbearable. He gave Daniel everything, gently encouraging him to reciprocate, without seeming too eager, or pushing Daniel where he wasn't ready to go.

Neither man spoke. They just touched, and tasted. And loved.


	21. The Way Home

Everything about Jack was unexpected. The warmth and weight of Jack's body above him no longer felt strange. Jack's head rested on Daniel's chest, his breath gusting warmly across his skin.

"I can't believe we just did that," Daniel sighed, breaking the long silence.

Jack rolled away from him, looking up at Daniel. "Is that a regret I hear?"

"No!" Daniel said quickly. He reached up to stroke Jack's hair, having learned Jack enjoyed that. "No, I don't think I'll ever regret this. It's just...so unlike me."

"You've never been with a man before?"

Daniel hesitated, feeling something of Entar's amusement at the question. "I'm not sure how to answer that one."

Jack chuckled. "It's a yes/no question, Daniel."

"No, it's not. Not for me. I have this snake in my head, remember?"

"Do you have to remind me of that?"

«_Here we go..._» Daniel sat up in bed. The room was dark; he couldn't see Jack's face clearly. "I think I do need to remind you. I'm...a package deal, Jack. You can't take me without Entar. That's why your question is a tough one. I mean, me, Daniel, this body...I've never made love with a man before tonight. But I have all Entar's memories. I remember his life, all of his previous hosts, and I remember them as if it was me. I remember his lovers, too: men and women. I even remember _being_ a woman."

"You're kidding!"

"I wish I were. This is really strange, Jack. I might get used to it in a decade. Maybe."

"Danny...Daniel...you make it sound horrible. Why would you do something like this?"

"I told you why."

Jack shifted in the bed, sitting up and facing Daniel. "Come on, Daniel. You told me squat. Why in hell would you let a Goa'uld use you as a host?"

Daniel gasped; the wave of anger from Entar was intense. He squeezed his eyes shut; the last thing he needed was for Jack to see his eyes glow.

«_Easy, Entar. He didn't mean it that way_.»

He got no reply from Entar, just an awareness of his friend trying to heed his thought. Even so, Entar's rage spilled over into Daniel. He couldn't help it.

Daniel opened his eyes and looked at Jack. "_Don't_ call him a Goa'uld," he said, not troubling to hide his anger. "It's like calling an African-American a nigger."

He got no response from Jack. Jack's face was in shadow and Daniel couldn't see his expression.

"Jack, 'Goa'uld' means 'god'. Entar isn't a god and he doesn't pretend to be. He's a symbiotic life form who needs a host to survive."

The silence was broken only by Jack's breathing.

"Jack?"

"I didn't mean to insult you. Or...Entar. But you still haven't answered my question. Why?"

«_He's right. You're avoiding the question_.»

«_Because Jack won't understand the truth. I'm going to have to twist the facts_.»

«_Lie?_»

«_No, just be selective. Jack needs a reason that'll make sense to him. Trust me_.»

«_Always_.»

"Turn the light on," Daniel said.

Jack twisted away from him and the room flooded with light. Daniel rolled over onto his stomach, pushing the sheets down so his back would be clearly visible. Entar had healed his spine and the nerves that had been damaged by the burns, but the scars would be there for the rest of his life. He and Jack had made love in darkness; Jack wouldn't have seen this before. He must have felt that Daniel's skin wasn't smooth, but he hadn't seen it.

"My god..." Jack whispered. He reached out, touching Daniel's back tentatively.

"It doesn't hurt, Jack. You can touch me."

"What happened?"

"My last mission as a member of SG-1, I was a second too late getting to the stargate. Took a hit from a death glider."

"And it didn't cut you in half?" Jack's hand slowly stroked Daniel's back.

"The blast threw me into the gate. I lived through it, Jack, but barely. My body was wrecked. I had surgery five times, for skin grafts and repair work on my spine. It was a year before I could walk again, and even then I was in pain all the time. That's when Entar asked me to be his host." He relaxed under Jack's touch and began to tell him the rest of the story. Once he had begun, it was easier to tell than he expected. Jack listened without comment, still stroking his back gently.

"...I've never regretted it, Jack. Never. It's been hard sometimes, but Entar has given me a lot in return. He's a good person, Jack."

"But you're stuck with him in your head. Don't you ever want just to be alone?"

Daniel smiled. "No. Jack, do you know how much of my life I've been lonely? He sat up again, moving into Jack's arms. "Entar was my friend for a long time before we were blended. Now he's more than a friend; he's part of me. I will never be alone again, Jack, except the last few seconds before I die. That's a gift."

Jack hugged him tight. "_Now_ you sound like my Danny."

Daniel tensed, not sure how to take that. "I'm not..."

Jack kissed him, silencing the words. "Daniel, I know you're not." His fingers laced through Daniel's hair again. "Your hair is longer..." he grinned "...and I like that. You don't look exactly like him. You don't make love like him. And I never saw Danny's eyes glow. I'm not going to confuse the two of you, and I'm not wishing you were him."

"My eyes glow?"

"A few minutes ago. You didn't know that?"

«_Tell the truth, my friend_.»

«_I am_.» "Um...I knew. I hoped you hadn't noticed."

To his amazement, Jack looked hurt by that. "You don't trust me, do you?"

"Jack, I don't _know_ you! We just met! But I do know Jack O'Neill in my reality. He used to be my best friend. Until he found out I became Entar's host."

"So you're lying in bed with me, after making love with me, and you're telling me you're afraid I'll react the same way?"

Daniel couldn't answer. He knew the truth would offend Jack, but it was too important for him to lie.

Jack's fingers slid under Daniel's chin, tilting his head up. "He hurt you badly, didn't he?"

Daniel swallowed. There was silence, utter silence, even from Entar. Daniel was left to answer the question alone.

_Jack...what I'm trying to tell you is...when Cleis died, I...I became Entar's host._

_You what?_

_I became..._

_I heard you! You're telling me you've got one of those snakes in your head?_

Daniel felt tears sting his eyes. "Yes. Yes he did."

Once again, Jack's arms surrounded him with warmth and Daniel snuggled into the welcome embrace.

Jack's lips brushed his forehead. "Tomorrow, I want you to tell me what happened. For tonight, don't think about it, Daniel. I'm not him, okay? Stop worrying, and just rest."

«_Good advice, my friend_.»

Daniel closed his eyes and, eventually, slept.

* * *

The piercing call of the alarm woke him as it always did, and O'Neill shut it off quickly. Waking with a man's body tangled with his own felt utterly natural. A smile tugged at his lips as Daniel stirred and opened his eyes.

"Morning already?" he mumbled.

"I'm afraid so." Jack leaned down to kiss Daniel, running his fingers through Daniel's luxurious hair. He felt him hesitate before returning the kiss with enthusiasm.

_You made the right call, Jack._

It was the closest he would get to Danny's forgiveness. Nothing would bring Danny back; he knew that. But this man...so like him, yet so different...

Jack drew back from the kiss, looking at Daniel. The blue eyes were the same as his Danny's, but there were lines around them Danny never had. Lines of suffering. He remembered the scars on Daniel's back. What had this man been through? He brushed a stray lock of hair back from Daniel's face. There's another thing that's different. Danny kept his hair military-short. This Daniel's hair fell below his shoulders, and it was gorgeous. Jack couldn't stop running his fingers through the silky hair.

They kissed again and Daniel's hands moved tentatively over Jack's body. Jack groaned. "We don't have time for this," he said reluctantly, forcing himself to pull away. "Do you want to go first in the shower?" he offered generously.

A smile cracked Daniel's face. "Sure. Thanks."

While Daniel showered, Jack grabbed a robe and headed out to make coffee. He changed his mind rapidly when he saw the state of the kitchen. He was a real screw-up since Danny died. He couldn't face the thought of tidying up now. They could get breakfast at Cheyenne Mountain.

* * *

The guard at the surface security checkpoint was giving Daniel a really weird look. Daniel tried to ignore it, guessing he would have to get used to that as long as he was in this reality; the circumstances of that other Daniel's death meant just about everyone knew about it, and people were bound to wonder where his identical twin had come from. Jack made no comment, signing Daniel in as if he were a complete stranger.

The guard frowned at the sign-in sheet, but handed Daniel a visitor's ID. "Colonel, I have a message for you from Doctor Fraiser. She wants to see...Doctor Jackson...in the infirmary as soon as possible."

It was Jack's turn to frown. He exchanged a glance with Daniel but said nothing in front of the guard. They walked into the mountain together.

In the infirmary, Doctor Fraiser — it was easier for Daniel to think of her as that; she certainly wasn't his Janet — asked Daniel if he would be willing to submit to some more tests.

"May I ask why?" At least she was asking. His place here was precarious; if she made it an order he wouldn't have much choice in the matter. "I'm in perfect health. If anything was wrong with me Entar would know."

"That's your symbiot?" she asked and Daniel nodded a yes. "You're probably right, Daniel, but I want to verify this for myself. There is a reason."

A reason. Apparently she wasn't planning to explain further. Ah, well... "Okay."

"How long is this going to take, Doc?" Jack asked.

"Not long. An hour, perhaps."

"Right. I'll send a couple of SFs down. Give me a call when you're ready to let him out." He cast an apologetic glance at Daniel."

Before Jack could speak, Daniel interrupted. "It's okay, Jack. Orders, I know."

He wasn't trusted. He needed to remember that.

* * *

"Four years ago," Sam said, addressing her words to Daniel, "we discovered a device on P3R-233 that enabled travel to alternate realities."

«_That happened here, too?_» Daniel realised. "The quantum mirror," he confirmed.

«_Can we use that to get home?_»

«_I don't know, Entar. It works, but I don't know how. We'd probably end up in a different reality. I need to listen to Sam, Entar_.»

"Yes," Sam agreed. "Initially, the mirror was sent to Area 51 for research. But two years ago, it was activated. Two people came through from another reality. One was Major Kawalsky, the other was...well, an alternate version of me."

"Really? What was that like? I mean...I've been in another reality before, but I didn't have the opportunity to..."

"Daniel," Jack interrupted.

Daniel looked at him. Jack's expression said shut up. He shut up.

Sam continued, "They were refugees from a world overrun by the Go'auld. Initially they asked us for asylum, which we were willing to grant. Unfortunately that became impossible."

For Daniel, comparing Sam's story with his own memories, this was fascinating. The mirror became a source of hope; he didn't know much about how it worked, but maybe these people did. Maybe he could use it to go home. "Impossible? How so?"

Doctor Fraiser spoke up then. "Within forty eight hours of their arrival here, Samantha began to experience seizures of a kind I've never seen before or since. She called it entropic cascade failure. It's...hard to describe, but the strain it placed on her body was extreme. She would have been dead within weeks had she not returned to her own reality."

"So..." Daniel concluded, "...you're afraid the same thing will happen to me."

Fraiser avoided his eyes; Sam nodded. "Not as quickly, Daniel. There were two of us — that increased the entropy in the situation making her especially vulnerable to a cascade reaction. However, eventually..."

"How long?" «_Is she right, Entar?_»

«_It sounds unlikely, my friend, but they have experienced this. We would be foolish to ignore the warning_.»

"Weeks, months, perhaps. We don't know."

Daniel looked at Fraiser. "I take it that's why you wanted all those tests this morning."

She nodded. "I hoped to find something that would help me predict the progress of the entropic failure in your case."

"Find anything?"

"Very little, I'm afraid. Though you should take that as a good sign. I have detailed records of my examinations of Samantha and Major Kawalsky for comparison. I'll keep working on it."

"If you're willing, Entar — my symbiot — can help you with that." Daniel saw her glance down as he spoke. That hurt; knowing she feared him. He added, "Entar has worked with Jan— I mean, my Doctor Fraiser, a great deal. Their skills complement each other...but I understand if you're uncomfortable with that." Still she hesitated, and Daniel rushed to fill the gap. "This makes it more imperative for me to find some way home," he declared, addressing everyone this time. "What about this quantum mirror? Can I use that?"

Jack looked at Hammond. Daniel followed Jack's look just in time to see the almost-imperceptible shake of Hammond's head.

It was Sam who answered. "I'm afraid not, Daniel. After the last incident involving the Mirror, we felt it was too dangerous to keep it. General Hammond ordered the Mirror destroyed."

«_Do you think that's true, my friend?_»

«_I don't know. Sam's telling the truth but there's something they're not saying. We'll find out when General Hammond is ready_.»

General Hammond spoke up then. "Doctor Jackson, Colonel O'Neill recommended we should trust you, but I would like some proof of your story."

Daniel sighed. "I don't have much to offer, General. I arrived here with nothing."

"Which is why I contacted the Tok'Ra. They have agreed to send someone to help verify your story."

«_How? The Tok'Ra in this reality won't know me any more than the SGC_.»

«_There are several ways, my friend. Let's hope they send a friend_.»

Daniel nodded. "I said yesterday I'll co-operate with any test you think necessary. I meant it."

"In the meantime, I would like you to spend some time with Major Carter and tell her what you know of Anubis' weapon."

* * *

Initially, they talked about Anubis. Sam didn't know much about him, but she knew more than the SGA did in Daniel's reality. He began filling in the background as they talked in her lab.

"I know the myths seem irrelevant, but where Anubis is concerned most of them are true, if you know how to read between the lines. I have some books in my office...but that's in another reality."

Sam smiled, clearly more comfortable with him now than she had been the day before. "Perhaps Daniel had the same books. His things are still here. Let's find out."

Daniel expected her to lead him to his office, but she headed to Level 18. Of course, that was where his lab was before his accident. When he returned to the SGC after the accident, he had moved from the lab to an office on Level 16, mostly because it was larger, and his wheelchair was too awkward in the smaller room.

The door of the lab was slightly open and a light was on inside. Sam tapped on the door jam as they entered, and a young man looked up from the desk. A book lay open in front of him; Daniel thought he recognised one of his old journals. The man opened his mouth to say something, then paled when he saw Daniel.

Sam seemed oblivious to the young man's distress. "You're up early, Jonas," she commented, walking into the room without waiting for an invitation.

He was still staring at Daniel. "D-doctor Jackson?" he stammered. He began to stand, setting the journal he was reading aside. As he moved the journal his hand knocked the replica Inca fetish beside him and it fell to shatter on the floor.

Daniel winced. «_Not mine. It's not mine_.» He felt Entar's laughter in response. «_Stop it! That thing cost me a fortune!_»

The other man bent down over the broken statuette with a flurry of words Daniel interpreted as an apology. Daniel moved past Sam quickly and knelt on the floor, helping him to pick up the pieces. "It's alright. Jonas? I'm not a ghost...and I'm not Doctor Jackson, either. At least...not exactly." He met Jonas' eyes, hoping he would be believed.

"But... When...?"

Daniel stood, stacking the pieces on the desk. "I guess I can expect this reaction a lot?" he said to Sam. Then, to Jonas, "I'm from an alternate reality. I know that's difficult to believe..."

Finally Sam spoke up, interrupting. "It's true, Jonas. I'm sorry, I didn't think. We should have told you earlier."

Jonas got to his feet, placing the last shards of the statue with the rest. "I don't understand," he confessed helplessly.

«_He's very upset,_» Entar observed. «_Your counterpart must have meant a great deal to him_.»

«_Perhaps. Sam should have warned him...whoever he is_.»

Sam didn't seem too concerned. "It will take a long time to explain, Jonas. Right now, though... Daniel, which book were you talking about?"

He scanned the shelves quickly and found it. "This one." He handed her the volume. She was too dismissive of Jonas and Daniel didn't understand why. In his reality, he would have called Sam on her behaviour. Here, he might get an answer he didn't like. He turned back to Jonas. "We haven't met. I'm Daniel." He offered his hand.

"Jonas Quinn." The hand that enfolded Daniel's briefly was trembling. Nothing about him was familiar to Daniel; he was sure they had never met in his reality. Like his conversation with Jack, this was a weird situation. At least with Jack he had known who and what he was dealing with. He wanted to put Jonas at ease, but he had no idea how.

He turned to Sam. "Sam, any chance of coffee? I haven't eaten today."

She hesitated, taking the hint. Daniel guessed she had orders to stay with him. After a moment she shrugged. "Sure. I won't be long."

Daniel sat down on the edge of the desk. "Were you and Daniel friends?" he asked gently.

"Um...no, not really. I didn't know him that well." Jonas said. He looked up, meeting Daniel's eyes at last. "You're really not him?"

"I'm really not him. I don't completely understand this alternate reality thing, but the theory is every possibility is played out somewhere. So we probably had identical lives up to a point."

Jonas sank down into his chair. "I'm confused."

«_Me too_.» "Well...take this statue. When you knocked it over, several things could have happened. It might not have fallen. It might have fallen and you caught it before it hit the ground. It might have hit the floor but not broken. In this reality, it fell and shattered. The theory is that for every major event, whatever choice you make, there's an alternate universe where the other possibility is played out. Normally we're not aware of the alternate realities, but I was involved in...an accident...recently, and I ended up here." He smiled suddenly. "I don't suppose that makes much more sense."

But Jonas' eyes were intent. "You mean...there's a...a universe somewhere where I did the right thing and Daniel lived?"

«_Whoa! What the hell...?_»

«_Only one way to find out, my friend_.»

Quietly, Daniel said, "You had something to do with his death?"

Jonas was avoiding his eyes now. "I was there. I...it should have been me."

«_Oh, boy_.» Daniel was all-too familiar with survivor's guilt, but he wasn't sure what was happening here. Jack told him what happened to "Danny", but he hadn't mentioned Jonas. There wasn't time for him to ask for details; Sam would be back soon. He leaned back against the desk and kept his eyes on Jonas. "Look I don't know exactly what happened but I do know what an uncontrolled naquadria reaction can do, and it's terrible. Daniel saved a lot of lives by doing what he did, but if it were me — and in a weird way it was — I wouldn't blame you for saving yourself, or for whatever you think you did wrong. Don't punish yourself for being alive, Jonas. Life is too short for that."

For a moment there was no reply. Jonas picked up one of the pieces of the statuette, turning it over in his hands to reveal most of the face. "It was my world you saved," he said finally.

"It wasn't me. I can't even say for sure I would have done the same thing."

«_I wouldn't _let_ you!_»

«_Oh, I think you would, Entar, if there was no other way_.»

"Jonas, if you think you made a mistake, learn from it."

Finally, Jonas smiled. "I plan to. That's why I'm here."

Sam appeared at the door and Daniel moved to take the coffee from her hands. She had brought three mugs of coffee and a big bag of doughnuts. Daniel appreciated the gesture: three mugs, including Jonas in the group. He had been wondering if Sam blamed Jonas for what happened; it was a relief to know she didn't.

They settled down around the desk and Daniel opened the book. "Here's what I wanted to show you," he began, finding an illustration. "On Earth Anubis was a god of the dead, feared and remote. He was one of the oldest of the system lords, the only one to rival Ra in terms of power, and easily the most evil of them. This illustration is a ceremony that was part of the embalming process; priests of Anubis performed this to awaken the dead."

"That's an implantation," Sam said, turning the book toward her.

"Yes, it is," Daniel agreed. "As I said, the myths about Anubis are true enough, if you know how to read them."

"We've heard rumours of Anubis' return, but I don't know what from."

Daniel nodded. "In my reality — I think it's probably the same here — Ra kept Anubis as one of the system lords on the principle of 'keep your friends close, but your enemies closer'. A little over a thousand years ago Anubis finally did something even Ra couldn't stomach. I don't know what, but Anubis had a reputation for...creative biogenetic experiments. If I had to guess, I'd say there's a connection. Anyway, Anubis was banished by the other system lords. One of them, Yu, wasn't satisfied with banishment. He followed Anubis and, we all believed, killed him. When the Tok'Ra learned it was possible he had returned — in my reality, that is — they called on me because I...because my symbiot, Entar, has a history with Anubis. We were sent to investigate a gilash'ad..."

* * *

It was late morning when the Tok'Ra arrived. Or, rather, one Tok'Ra: Jacob Carter. He carried a zaytarc detector with him.

"Those things aren't exactly reliable," Jack objected, when he saw it.

"Mistakes are possible," Jacob admitted, "but in this case the device will function as a polygraph. It will compare Daniel's memory with the story he's telling us, and flag up any conflicts. In that area, at least, we can rely on the result.

Wondering why Jack didn't trust the technology, Daniel spoke up. "Jack, I really need to prove to you guys I'm telling the truth, and this seems like a good idea. I don't object."

Jack shrugged. "It's your neck."

Daniel frowned, making a mental note to ask him, later, why he was so wary of the Tok'Ra device. "Jacob, do you have a recorder with the device?"

He nodded. "Yes, but to record we have to use the display screen. I thought you might prefer privacy."

"I would. But I agreed to share what I know and letting everyone witness it would be the quickest way." Daniel glanced at Jack. "If that suits you, Colonel?"

Jack exchanged a brief glance with Sam. "If you trust the technology, Daniel, it's okay with me. Just remember Hammond is going to make a call based on what this machine tells him."

Daniel smiled briefly. "Tok'Ra technology isn't strange to me, Jack. I'm one of them, remember?"

"Ah...yeah, of course."

A few minutes later, Daniel was allowing someone to strap his wrists to the arms of a chair and wishing he could skip ahead a few hours. The memory of the last time he had used a Tok'Ra memory device came back vividly: Netu, Apophis perverting the technology for torture.

«_Stay calm, my friend_,» Entar comforted.

«_I'm trying_.»

Jacob attached the device to his temple. "Daniel, you said your symbiot is Tok'Ra. Who is he?"

"Entar."

Jacob drew back suddenly. "That's impossible."

«_Uh-oh. What's wrong?_» Daniel tried to stay calm. "It's the truth. Why do you say it's impossible?"

"Entar died three years ago when the Goa'uld destroyed the base on Talashim."

«_That's the mission where we met, Entar_.»

«_I remember. I would have died if you weren't there_.»

«_Apparently that's true_.»

"In my reality, SG-1 assisted in the evacuation of Talashim. It's where I met Entar for the first time. I became his host a little over a year later, when Cleis died."

Jacob shook his head. "We'll soon see if that's the truth." He activated the device and Daniel felt the lick of power through his system. He glanced around the room. They were in one of the isolation labs of the SGC. Behind the glass screen above, General Hammond watched with Doctor Fraiser and Teal'c beside him. Inside the lab Jack stood near Jacob. At the door were a couple of SFs, heavily armed. Daniel tried to ignore them.

"You know how the device works, Daniel?" Jacob asked.

"I know the theory. I've never used it before."

"Then you understand you mustn't leave anything out. Every detail is important."

Daniel nodded.

"Let's start with what you were doing on Alkar."

"I was on a mission for the Tok'Ra. Selmak came to Earth to ask Entar and I to..." Daniel told the story, in as much detail as he could remember. As he spoke, images appeared on the screen for everyone to see. Daniel's memories. And Entar's. He had to relive his farewell to Janet and couldn't help looking at Jack as he spoke. God, Janet...Daniel hadn't even thought about her the night before.

«_Don't think about it now, my friend. You'll distort the detector's readings_.»

Jack avoided Daniel's eyes, looking at Sam instead. She was looking back at him with an odd look on her face and Daniel realised abruptly that she knew Jack and his Daniel were lovers. Wow. Weren't there regulations about that sort of thing?

He couldn't bring himself to look up to where he knew Doctor Fraiser was watching.

Daniel went on to describe his mission on Alkar: his impersonation of Tanith, his discoveries, his attempt at sabotage, the explosion and his subsequent ordeal in the desert. A couple of times Jacob stopped him, asking him to repeat something, but mostly Daniel just talked. He described his feelings when he realised he wouldn't live to reach the stargate, and what he had asked Entar to do if he died. Then he stopped, having no intention of telling what happened when Jack found him there.

"There's more, Jacob, but I think that's enough information for your zaytarc detector," he said firmly. The story had already taken hours to tell.

Jacob agreed. "It's unbelievable, but the machine says you're telling the truth." He looked at Sam and Jack. "I have to tell you, Daniel's story sounds very much like Entar. I believe him."

"Good." Jack moved to Daniel's side, freeing him from the chair. Leaning close to Daniel as he unstrapped his wrists, he murmured, "Thanks."

Daniel smiled back. "Right back at you." He stood as Jack stepped back rubbing his wrists.

Jack looked up at the glass where Hammond still watched. "General?"

There was a long silence. Something was being communicated between the two men; Daniel didn't have a clue what, but he assumed it was something to do with him. Finally, the general said, "Very well, Colonel."

Daniel looked from one to the other, still clueless.

* * *

As he walked through the front door Daniel felt Jack's hand in the small of his back. It was a small gesture, intimate, typically Jack, but now the intimacy made Daniel uncomfortable. Things had changed between them since the night before. That night...

«_Don't feel guilty, my friend._»

«_How can I not feel guilty? I cheated on Janet last night_.»

«_That's one interpretation_.»

«_Oh, stop it! I know you don't see it the way I do, but how do you think Jan would feel if she knew?_»

«_My friend, you wanted him last night, as much as I did. After what we both experienced on Alkar, the impulse was natural_.»

«_It's still wrong_.»

«_You are being foolish_.»

Daniel moved away from Jack's touch.

Jack sighed heavily as he hung his jacket in the closet. "So. You didn't tell me you and the doc were...um..."

"You didn't ask," Daniel pointed out.

"Uh-huh," Jack grunted.

"Jack, it doesn't matter, does it? If your quantum mirror has been destroyed there's no way for me to go home. Whatever I left behind me is gone. Over."

"Yeah," Jack said, but it didn't sound like an affirmative. He gestured ahead of him to the living room and Daniel walked in ahead of him.

"Look, Danny...Daniel, there's something I need to tell you. When Carter said the mirror was destroyed...that wasn't quite true."

"Huh?" was Daniel's brilliant response. It had been a long day and at first he didn't quite register what Jack was saying. When it sank in, he turned to face Jack quickly. "What do you mean?"

Jack sat down, gesturing for Daniel to join him. "When two people came through the mirror from a world overrun by the Goa'uld, our threat assessment was very high. They might not have been a threat, but what if the Goa'uld had come through instead? It seemed too dangerous to keep the mirror, and as Carter said, Hammond ordered it destroyed.

"But it turned out it wasn't that easy. There was no way to dismantle it, and all attempts to destroy it failed. The scientists at Area 51 had some theory about it existing in multiple realities all at once...or some such. Anyhow, we had to give up on the idea. Carter doesn't know. We kept the number of people who knew about it to an absolute minimum so...certain people...wouldn't learn it still existed."

"Then where is it now?" Daniel blurted, realising even as he spoke that Jack wouldn't tell him. Need to know.

"We locked the damned thing up, somewhere very safe. That's all I can tell you."

"That means it's still useless to me."

"Daniel, if it was, why would I bother telling you? After the doc's report this morning I had a word with Hammond. He agreed that if the Tok'Ra supported your story we would try to help you find a way home." Quickly he added, "Don't get your hopes up, Daniel. The mirror is being pulled out of storage, but there are thousands of alternate realities out there. Maybe billions. You might not be able to find yours, and at the first sign of danger Hammond will pull the plug."

Daniel understood. It was hope, nothing more. Daniel smiled. "Thank you. I know you're taking a big risk helping me."

"You gave us a lot in return. If you're right about what Anubis is planning."

"I'm right. In _my_ reality. What's happening here could be very different."

"I get that. We'll just have to trust the Tok'Ra to put the pieces together."

Daniel stared at Jack in surprise. "You trust the Tok'Ra?"

"Some of the time." It was said with a grin. "Relax, Daniel. I'm not the greatest fan of the Tok'Ra, but we work together well enough." He leaned back into the plush couch. "So. Are you two married?"

The sudden change of subject was disconcerting. "No," Daniel answered.

"It looked kinda...intense."

«_None of your goddamned business, Jack!_» But on the other hand, under the circumstances, Jack had a right to ask. Daniel sighed. "We live together. I asked her to marry me once. She turned me down. I think...at the time, she was right. We weren't ready for that."

"But you are now?"

Daniel couldn't answer.

"Do you have any idea how that makes me feel? Why didn't you tell me?"

Daniel swallowed. "I...I didn't think. I'm sorry. But you didn't do anything wrong. You didn't know."

"But you did! For crying out loud, Daniel! What were you thinking?"

"To be honest, last night, I wasn't thinking. Neither were you." Daniel hesitated, not sure if he should say more. "Jack...when I lost Sha're, I did some pretty stupid things. I know how easily grief can lead to... I think last night was something we both needed."

Jack's smile turned sarcastic. "Got it all worked out, haven't you?"

"What the hell do you want from me? It was wrong, okay! I admit it. But don't ask me to regret it, because I meant what I said last night."

Jack stood abruptly, walking a few paces away from where Daniel sat. He lifted his hands to his face, scrubbing at his eyes. "God, Daniel, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to..."

«_Are you going to just sit there?_»

Entar's urging propelled Daniel out of his seat and across the room to Jack. He reached out to the other man and found himself caught in a bone-crushing hug. Warmth flooded through him. Crazy as it seemed, he really did love this man. And realising that, Daniel suddenly saw through what was happening here. "You're jealous!"

For a moment it seemed Jack would deny it. Then he nodded. "I suppose I am. Stupid, huh?"

"Pretty stupid," Daniel agreed. Jack was still holding him; Daniel didn't want to move. "Jack, I think we're both looking for something we're not going to find. I'm jealous of what you had with Danny...god, even that name! I always hated being called that, but...do you know how much I'd give to have my friendship with Jack back again? And I know how badly you want me to be him...I know because I've been where you are."

Silence. Then Jack's mouth silently seeking his. Daniel returned the kiss, feeling the truth of his guess in Jack's desperation. Even if he could stay, there was no future for them. What Jack wanted, Daniel couldn't become.

Jack drew away from him slightly. "Maybe you're right." He ran a hand through Daniel's hair gently. "I've got to admit, I'm glad you're not...close...to your Jack. I'd hate to be jealous of myself."

Daniel had to laugh at that.

* * *

Much later in the evening, after they cleaned the house together and ate and shared a couple of beers. Daniel was wondering if he should broach the subject of where he would sleep tonight. He honestly wasn't sure what he wanted, and Entar was no help. He wasn't sure what Jack wanted, either. The man needed to come to terms with his loss, but that wasn't going to happen with Daniel around.

They were seated on opposite ends of the couch. The television was on but neither of them was really watching it.

"Jack."

"Daniel." Both men spoke together.

Daniel chuckled. "You go."

"What happened to break up your friendship with him? I know you said he doesn't trust your symbiot, but, what happened?"

Daniel shrugged. "I guess we grew apart when Jack took over the SGA. I knew he wasn't a fan of the Tok'Ra, but I didn't realise how strongly he felt. After I blended with Entar..." The memory of Jack's reaction was still painful. Daniel swallowed and looked up at Jack. He began to tell the story.

Jack was leaning back, staring at the ceiling, as Daniel finally fell silent. It was a relief to get it all out. Cathartic.

Jack's fingers were tapping restlessly on his knee and Daniel wondered if he had even been listening. Jack took a breath and blew it out. He turned his head to look at Daniel. "You and Jack — you were friends before this happened?"

"He was my best friend."

"Then I think you're wrong about something."

Daniel frowned. "Like what?"

Jack leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Look, Daniel, if I thought a friend of mine had been taken by a Goa'uld, I wouldn't rest until I'd put it right. No command or treaty would stop me. I certainly wouldn't ignore it the way you're saying your Jack did."

"But Entar isn't a Goa'uld!"

"No, but you're telling me Jack believes he is. I don't think that's true."

"Well, he does a good impression of it," Daniel answered bitterly. He brushed his hair back out of his eyes.

"Maybe your Jack isn't much like me. I don't know, Daniel. But what you described earlier...that's not how I react to losing a friend. It's how I react to betrayal."

Betrayal. The word burst in Daniel's mind like the fireworks on New Year's Eve. Betrayal. He stared at Jack.

_"You're really going to do this, aren't you?" _

_He shook his head slowly, his eyes never leaving Jack's. "No," he said firmly. "I'm not."_

_Jack's frown smoothed out immediately and some of the worry left his eyes. Some, but not all. "You're not going to change your mind?"_

_"No. I can't deny it's tempting, Jack, but I've made up my mind."_

"Would he have any reason to feel that way, Daniel?" Jack asked him.

"Maybe," Daniel admitted.

"Then, when you get home...if you get home...that's what you have to fix."

"Maybe," Daniel repeated. "But Jack isn't going to listen to anything I say unless I can prove I'm me first."

"True. Too bad you can't go to the Tolan for help. That gadget with the red and blue lights is hard to argue with."

Daniel could have kicked himself. Why didn't he think of that a year ago? Of course the Tolan detachment device would do it!

«_...That is, if you'd be willing, Entar_.»

«_I will submit. For a short time. I have no knowledge of that device but I don't think it would be comfortable for me_.»

«_A few minutes should be enough! Entar_...» In his excitement Daniel had missed something Jack said.

_Too bad you can't go to the Tolan..._

"Wait a minute. Jack, why did you say I can't go to the Tolan for help?"

"They were destroyed by the Goa'uld...the only one we saw was Tanith, but he was working for someone..."

"Tanith! Jack, this could be very important. What exactly happened to the Tolan?"

Jack gave him an arch look. "You do know that's classified?"

"Jack!"

"Okay, okay. Some Goa'uld was forcing them to build a bomb..."

Daniel's blood turned to ice as he listened to Jack's story. It didn't happen in his reality, he knew that. They would have known if something happened to Tolana. But what if some of it _did_ happen? What if Anubis somehow had access to the Tolan's phase-shifting technology?

"Oh, my god," Daniel breathed. "That's it. That's the missing link." With growing terror, he felt Entar's concurrence with his conclusion. The unexpected effect of destroying the experiment. The weapon they knew Anubis was developing...a weapon that could be made to go through any barrier...like through a mile of rock into Tok'Ra tunnels...or straight through an iris...

Only when he saw the sudden concern in Jack's eyes did Daniel realise he was shaking. The pictures his mind was throwing up were overwhelming. "Oh, god, Jack, I've got to warn them! I've got to find a way home!"

And Jack's strong arms were around him, holding him close. His lips brushed Daniel's temple lightly. "It's okay, Danny, it's okay. I'll help you."


	22. The Big Picture

### Earth

"Mom!" Cassie shouted, her eyes never leaving the sketch book in her hands. "There's someone at the door!" She frowned at the half-finished picture.

Janet's voice came back to her. "Well, answer it, Cassie! I'm up to my elbows in cookie dough right now. Okay?"

Cassie sighed, biting the end of her pencil. "Okay," she called back and set the sketch aside. She ran to the front door and opened it.

It was Jack. Cassie stared for a moment, surprised to see him all dressed up. Despite the smart uniform, Jack looked tired, seriously tired. Maybe he was sick. He still managed a quirky grin and a hug for Cassie. Jack always gave good hugs.

"Heya, Cass. Is your mom home?"

"Right here, General," Janet called from the next room. She appeared in the kitchen doorway. "I'm...cooking," she added. "Come on through, sir."

"Thanks."

Cassie got out of his way as he stepped over the threshold and followed him into the kitchen.

"You've redecorated," Jack said, looking around.

When Janet didn't answer, Cassie spoke for her. "Last year. I picked the colours."

"You have good taste."

"That's what Daniel said. Mom wanted green." Cassie pulled a face to show disapproval of that colour, then realised what she'd said. She met Janet's eyes apologetically.

Mustn't mention Daniel, Cassie reminded herself. Mom's still too sad. So was Cassie! She was just getting used to Daniel — and his symbiot — living with them, and then...

She turned her attention to Jack, wondering why he had come. He was in uniform, so that meant this was official stuff, right? Any minute now one of them was going to tell her to go watch TV.

Janet still wasn't talking and Cassie rushed to fill the gap again. "Jack? You didn't get another promotion, did you?"

Jack flashed a smile: the one that always made Cassie want to laugh. Daniel always says...said...Jack was just a big kid at times. Daniel, again. Cassie wasn't sure she could do this "coming to terms" thing. Janet managed it, or she was trying, at least. It didn't seem to be working too well for either of them. Sometimes Janet wanted to talk about him for hours. Sometimes she couldn't bear to hear his name. That was why she was baking more cookies than either of them could eat, and why Cassie stayed in her room drawing.

"No, Cassie," Jack told her, just a hint of laughter in his voice. "Not this time. In fact, I'm lucky I'm not directing traffic right now."

Cassie giggled. That was an old joke. Jack caught her watching old cop shows back when TV was new to her: _Hill Street Blues_, _Starsky and Hutch_. He used to tease her about it, but still watched them with her when he visited, and explained all the parts she didn't understand.

Janet, her hands full of cookie dough again, spoke up. "General?" Her tone was so serious Cassie looked at her in surprise. Was that not a joke?

Jack's smiled looked forced now. "Doc, I know I didn't stop to change, but you can drop the salute. I came as a friend."

Janet's answering smile was warm. "Okay, friend. How many rules did you break this time?"

"I...took a little unofficial trip off-world."

"General, you're already off-world. Well, most of the time."

"Off-off-world. Well off. Really off."

Janet's look said she was just teasing, but Jack's eyes were serious suddenly, even though he was still smiling. Cassie backed up a little, trying to make herself invisible. This was why Jack had come out here. She wanted to hear it.

Jack cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Uh...Jacob said he told you..."

Oh, no, Jack. Please don't talk about Daniel. Mom can't take it right now. Torn between not wanting to draw attention to herself and wanting to stop Jack before he made a big mistake, Cassie bit her lip. It was like watching a car crash or something: you know it's going to happen but nothing will stop it.

Janet just nodded and pretended to work on the cookie dough again. There was flour on her face; she must have wiped her face with her arm or something. That dough was going to be worked to death before she was done with it.

"I couldn't give up on him, Janet. I mean, Jacob said they found no life signs, but what does that mean where Daniel is concerned? Anyway, I took a couple of teams out to the planet where he...where they sent him. We found...that is, Carter found some things the Tok'Ra missed. We don't think he's dead, Janet. We think he somehow got sent back in time. Carter's trying to figure out the details, and when she does...well, we know the stargate can be used for...we'll try to find him. I've got him listed as MIA. You know Daniel. If we can't track him down, he'll find a way to get back. If anyone can, he can, right?"

Throughout Jack's speech, Cassie was watching her mom. She had watched Janet bake cookies before and she was sure it wasn't time for the cookie cutter yet. And she certainly wasn't doing it right.

Janet quit mutilating the cookies and looked up. "Wh-what are you trying to say, General?"

Oops. That was baaaaad Mom-voice. Wait for the explosion. Or something.

"I don't want you giving up, Janet. Not on Daniel. He's — "

"I can't do this."

Suddenly there was flour and cookie dough everywhere: hair, clothes, floor, ceiling. And Janet was gone, just gone from the kitchen faster than either of them could blink. Jack made to follow her, but Cassie stood in his way, fast.

"Jack, don't. You'll just make it worse."

Jack just looked at Cassie, the patented I'm-stupid-so-explain-it-to-me look. He wasn't as stupid as he pretended, but she realised he probably didn't get this. "Jack, look...I know you think this is good news, but...well, Sam's dad told her to grieve. Now you're here telling her to keep hoping. I just don't think Mom can handle this right now."

"But, I thought..."

"Mom's having a bad day, Jack. I know this is a good thing, really, I do. But Mom won't see it. I don't think she can see anything right now. She's..." Cassie stopped, groping for the word she needed.

"Drowning," Jack supplied for her. He ran a weary hand through his hair. "Damn, I'm sorry."

_Drowning_ was exactly the right word. Cassie looked up at him, relieved he wasn't playing dumb again. "Yeah. Thanks, Jack. I'm glad about Daniel. It's got to be good, right? I mean, if he's not dead, he's alive and that can't be bad news."

A warm, genuine smile and Jack squeezed her shoulder. "Keep that thought alive, Cassie." He brushed flour off his uniform and looked toward the door. "Guess I'd better go. Unless you want me to stick around..."

"It's okay, Jack. I can take care of Mom." Opening the door for Jack, Cassie gave him a smile goodbye. He smiled back in return, and Cassie knew he was certain of his news. He really believed Daniel was still alive out there, somewhere. He was sure Daniel was coming home.

Cassie watched him walk down to the staff car that was waiting for him. She was used to seeing Jack's car down there and this was a reminder that he didn't exactly live on Earth any more. He turned and waved before he got into the car. Cassie waved back, but inside she felt cold. Why did everyone she loved live such dangerous lives?

* * *

  


### The SGA

Sam was working late. There were handwritten notes on both sides of her laptop and she was typing quickly. Every now and then she stopped to refer to her notes and then resumed her work. She heard a sound behind her and turned. There was nothing. Sam was alone in her lab. She shrugged and returned to her work.

The sound came again. A weird buzzing sound, like electricity. Sam turned around, scanning the area behind her more carefully. Nothing active that shouldn't be. The reactor was quiescent as it had to be. The quantum mirror stood as silent as always, more decoration than anything.

Lighten up, Carter. You'll be thinking the place is haunted next.

She began to turn back to her laptop when the quantum mirror flickered. Shit! She leapt across the room and grabbed the phone. "This is Major Carter. I need security in my lab." She waited, her gaze fixed on the mirror, until her request was acknowledged, then she hung up the phone.

The mirror flickered again. A confusing series of images flashed across the silver, like a newsreel running too fast. When it stabilised, she saw Daniel on the other side. Daniel!

He was with Jack. A Jack. Sam reached for a weapon but, of course, she found none. Not here, in her lab. Her territory.

She watched the two men hug. Then Daniel, alone, stepped up to the mirror. He looked back at the other man and said something Sam couldn't hear. Then he reached out, and the next moment he was on her side of the mirror, with his back to Sam.

Daniel faced her quickly, a small smile on his face. "I hope this is the right reality. Sam?"

Her mind was spinning. Was it possible? Could she have been so wrong about what happened to him? "Daniel," she said warily. He looked like the Daniel she knew...

"The last time we saw each other was on Earth," Daniel said. "Cassie was sick. You led SG-1 to Hanka to find out why."

Sam caught on to what he was doing quickly. "Nirrti followed us back to Earth," she said, picking up the story. You sensed her presence when you met us in the gate room and we caught her. She wanted Cassie's blood."

"I used her ribbon device to search her mind. I found out how to cure Cassie."

If this wasn't Daniel, he was from a reality so close to theirs it made little difference. Sam relaxed, offering a smile of welcome. "Sounds familiar," she agreed.

He shook his head nervously. "These alternate realities can be very close." He ran a hand through his hair. "I could be second guessing myself forever. This has to be home."

"What happened? We thought you and Entar were dead."

Sam saw him smile and realised he'd been waiting for her to say that. It confirmed for both of them that he was the real Daniel. (Real? A relative term, surely? The right Daniel, then. The one who belonged here.)

Someone opened her lab door. Sam remembered summoning security. She turned to see Carl Miller in the doorway.

"Major Carter?"

"Do you always answer a security call personally?"

"I do when it comes from you, Major. What's up?" Then he saw Daniel. "Who the hell are you?"

"I'm..." Daniel began. He sounded odd. Sam saw him raise a hand to his head, then he swayed. Daniel grabbed the edge of the table, supporting himself.

Sam leapt to his side. "Daniel? What's wrong?"

"It's Entar. I can't..." Daniel slumped against her and Sam grabbed him, breaking his fall.

"Call my dad, Carl. Now!"

* * *

Daniel woke in the infirmary. There was someone holding his hand. Sam.

"Sam?"

She smiled. "Daniel. Are you okay?"

"I think so." He reached inside. «_Entar?_»

«_I am well_.»

Daniel could relax then. He looked up at Sam, seeing her father at her side. There was a healing device in his hand. Jacob didn't look happy.

"Daniel, what's wrong with Entar?"

"I'm not sure. He's very weak. Our passage through the mirror must have hurt him."

"Is he okay now?"

"Weak, but he's there. Last time it took a couple of days for him to be back to normal. This is better."

«_Because Selmak healed us both_.»

Daniel closed his eyes, suddenly aware of how close Entar had come to death.

Sam's voice cut into his thoughts. "Are you well enough to tell me what happened?"

Daniel gently extracted his hand from Sam's. "I am, but... Sam, where's Jack?"

"He's on Earth. We're expecting him back in about twelve hours."

Daniel swallowed. He had been counting on Jack being here. He dug into his pocket for the data crystal the other Jacob Carter recorded for him. "Jacob, this will tell you and the Council everything you need to know. Take it to them, quickly."

"You want to give me a clue?"

"You were right about who is behind this, and what he's planning is big. Jacob, if we're going to stop it we have to act very quickly and we have to act together. I'm going to brief General O'Neill as soon as possible, and I think someone from the Council should be here." He was asking a great deal. The High Council was one member down, and it wasn't their practice to do what he was asking.

"You don't want much, do you?" Jacob asked him, suppressing a chuckle.

"It's that important, Jacob. You'll understand when you download that data. Please, go now."

He nodded. "If Daniel's right, this won't take long, Sam. With any luck I'll be back before the general."

Daniel saw Sam half-stand as if to go after Jacob. He squeezed her hand. "Sam, please, let him go."

She turned to Daniel, her expression a typically Carter-esque mix of annoyance and amusement. "Daniel, do you have any idea how the general is going to react to you inviting the Tok'Ra here?"

«_Yeah, I'm _very_ familiar with Jack's attitude to the Tok'Ra_.» Daniel rolled his eyes. "I know. But he's not here, and I'd rather take the heat than delay on this. Sam, Jack hates me anyway. What do I have to lose?"

"He doesn't hate you, Daniel." She slid her hand away from his, but there was something new in her eyes now.

"Then he does a good imitation," Daniel told her bitterly. It had been nice to have his friendship with Jack again...even if it was in another reality and way, way too complicated. He'd been thinking there might be a way to bury the hatchet between them, but Sam's words reminded him that wasn't a likely possibility. He closed his eyes.

«_My friend_,» Entar sent, comforting.

Sam sighed heavily. "Daniel, there are some things you need to know."

"If it's about Jack, I don't think I'm interested."

«_Listen to her, Daniel_.»

"You are the two most stubborn men I've ever known! Do I have to put you in a room and bang your heads together?" Sam's eyes narrowed. "Daniel, I've seen what he's been going through since you were reported MIA. He doesn't hate you."

"What are you talking about?"

Sam told him.

* * *

It was a relief to be going home, Jack thought as he walked up the ramp to the gate. The thought made him halt in his tracks for a second. Home? When did the SGA, that constantly-under-construction collection of tin huts with its 28-hour day and alien sky, become home for him? It was home, he realised. He couldn't say when that happened, but he knew he would miss the base when he finally had to leave it. Would the Air Force let him retire out there? Maybe build a log cabin a few miles upriver...? It was an appealing fantasy.

The cold of the stargate enveloped him and he fought the instinct to take a breath. The trip was a familiar one, but there was always that last, breathless moment when he wondered if this was the time it would all go wrong, if he would step out into nothing...or never step out at all. The sight of the SGA control room was welcome, stilling the small thread of fear and reminding him of his earlier thought. He was home.

Jack tugged his uniform straight and glanced to the side as Teal'c stepped out of the wormhole beside him. At the base of the ramp, the line of SFs waited, weapons ready. Jack could have ordered them to stand down but he waited for Kovecek to give that order. It was protocol Jack had put in place himself: in the absence of a superior officer, the lieutenant in the control room could open the iris, if a valid IDC were received, but no one came down the ramp until acknowledged by the senior officer on duty. Not even if they came from Earth. Jack wanted no exceptions to that rule, not even for himself. So he and Teal'c waited, just for a moment, and only when he heard Kovacek's voice did they start down the ramp.

"Welcome back, General."

"Thank you, Colonel." He was about to say more, but it was then that Carter entered the gate room.

She was in a hurry, near-skidding to a halt when she reached them.

"Where's the fire, Carter?" Jack asked, hoping there wasn't one.

"Sir..." She caught her breath, looking up at him with smiling eyes. "We found Daniel."

_What? How? Where? When?_ A hundred questions came to mind instantly. Jack took a breath, calming his mind. "Where is he?" he asked, anticipating some involved explanation and a new planet to gate to.

"He's in the infirmary, sir," Carter answered. "He's okay," she added quickly. Doctor Warner said he just needs rest."

_Oh, god, thank you. He's safe._ Rest probably meant he was sleeping. Jack wanted to rush to the infirmary right away, but he resisted the urge. He glanced at Kovacek. "Is there anything else I need to hear urgently, Stan?"

"No, sir."

As if Kovacek would dare, with this news on the table. "Good. Carter, come with me. I want to hear everything."

* * *

Sam's story did a lot to raise Daniel's spirits. If Jack would do so much to try to help him, there was hope for their friendship after all. He wasn't sure how he would feel to see Jack again. Weird would probably be the right word.

«_For me, too_,» Entar sent. The symbiot was much stronger now and Daniel smiled. Entar's injury frightened him badly. If Jacob hadn't been here...

«_Don't think about it_.»

«_How can I not, Entar?_» If Entar died, there was a good chance Daniel would have died with him. For the first time, Daniel began to think that was better than the alternative. He was so close to Entar now that the thought of going on without him was more than painful.

«_Yes, it is. Every time_.»

«_Entar..._»

«_Try not to dwell on it. Selmak was here, and I am recovering_.»

Daniel didn't truly need to stay in bed, but he remained there. It was more than a little manipulative (the Tok'Ra had to be rubbing off on him), but he hoped that if Jack thought he was still sick, he wouldn't attack. Or at least not at first. Daniel wanted that edge.

And then Jack appeared. Daniel saw him hesitate in the infirmary doorway. Sam was at his side; Jack spoke to her briefly and she left, casting a look in Daniel's direction as she turned away. Jack's eyes searched the room until his gaze locked with Daniel's. Daniel looked away nervously.

He heard Jack's approach and looked up at him. Standing at the foot of Daniel's bed, Jack regarded Daniel steadily. "Daniel," he said, his tone absolutely neutral.

«_Damn. How does he do that?_» Daniel tried for a smile. "Jack."

"What did you touch this time?" Now the twinkle was back in Jack's eye and Daniel saw the corners of his mouth twitch as he struggled to hold back a grin.

What did you touch? Daniel couldn't help himself. He laughed. Not that the old joke was all that funny, but the relief and sheer joy that Jack was willing to joke with him again brought laughter bubbling to the surface, unstoppable. The grin cracked Jack's face and they laughed together.

It was hard for Daniel to pretend to take offence when he got himself together enough to reply. "What makes you think I touched anything?"

Jack's grin faded suddenly. "I can't believe you're here. God, Daniel, I...if..."

"No, Jack." Daniel interrupted quickly. "I'm here and I'm fine. Sam told me you tried to find me. I don't need to hear more than that."

"So...we're okay?" Jack asked hesitantly.

"We're okay, Jack. But I need a favour. A big one." He had thought hard about this, and there seemed only one way to find out for sure about the missing link he identified in that other reality. He didn't dare accuse the Tolan with no evidence: they were a valued ally of both the Tok'Ra and Earth. If he created difficulties in that alliance without cause, everyone would suffer.

Jack seemed to relax a little, sitting down on the end of the bed. "Shoot," he invited.

"I want you to come with me to Tolana."

"Tolana?" Jack repeated, surprised. "Why?"

Daniel sat up in the bed. "Do you remember the device they used on Klorel, to allow Skaara to speak?"

Jack nodded. "Sure."

"I want to have a conversation with you and be certain you know it's me doing the talking."

"That's not necessary..." Jack began.

Daniel cut him off. "I think it is." He had to make his voice harsh. "Jack, you say it's not necessary today. Tomorrow you might be calling me a Goa'uld again. If you don't think you need this, then do it for me. I need to do this." Which was true, but not for the reasons he was giving. Not exactly. He really did want to get things straight between himself and Jack but he wouldn't be pushing this hard if that were the only reason.

Jack's smile was gone. "Daniel, you're asking me to abandon my command."

"I know it's a lot to ask, Jack. You left the SGA to look for me..."

"That's why I can't do it again." Jack's look was serious. "What makes you think it would do any good, anyway? The Tolan aren't exactly keen on sharing their technology."

"I'll take care of that."

"How? You gonna steal it?"

"Actually, I was planning to just ask for a loan. Jack, Tolan law forbids them to share technologies with races less advanced than they are. If I ask as a member of the Tok'Ra, there won't be a problem."

That got him a raised eyebrow. "Sweet."

"Jack, please. This is important. I can't say how much."

A frown flitted across Jack's face and he sighed. "Okay. When?"

"Today. Now." Daniel began to push the bedsheets aside. He glanced down at himself. "Well," he amended, "as soon as I'm dressed."

* * *

The device fit easily around his chest. It weighed almost nothing and the casing was slightly flexible, more like rubber than leather. It was comfortable, Daniel noted as the technician stepped away from him. Of course, it wasn't active yet. Jack was leaning against a wall, silently watching the procedures.

«_Are you okay with this?_» Daniel asked Entar silently. He could feel the symbiot's reluctance, and didn't blame him.

«_I am_,» Entar assured him. «_Say what you must to your friend and don't worry about me_.»

«_You're still weak..._»

«_I am well, my friend. Stop looking for excuses to back out_.»

"Are you ready?" the technician asked him. She held the control device in her hands.

Daniel swallowed. Entar was right: he was no happier about doing this than his symbiot. He came so close to losing Entar... Not something he needed to think about. Daniel nodded, his hand straying unconsciously to touch the dormant crystal that lay on his chest. "I'm ready."

"Your symbiot must be in control when the detachment device is activated."

"Oh. Right." Daniel closed his eyes and gave control to Entar.

She looked up at him. "I know you have been told already, but I have to repeat it. This device was designed to be used against Goa'uld. Are you prepared to do this?"

"I am aware of the risks, and yes, I am prepared." Entar spoke firmly. "Please, continue."

She touched the device in her hand and the crystal on Entar's chest glowed red. "Speak," she commanded.

"I am here," Entar said.

"And your host?"

Daniel wasn't aware of the device until he took control back from Entar. It was actually harder with the detachment device in the way. It was a barrier between them, unpleasant and decidedly unnatural. He was frowning as he raised his head. "I'm here." Only then did he look at Jack.

O'Neill detached himself from the wall and joined Daniel. "Now what?"

"Now we talk, Jack."

Daniel glanced at the Tolan technician and she nodded. "My instructions are to remain in the room. I'll wait at the door. If you speak quietly I won't be able to overhear."

"Thank you." Opposite the doorway was a fountain rimmed with a wall high and wide enough to be a comfortable seat. It wasn't large, but the water would help to conceal their voices. Daniel moved to sit on the wall and Jack joined him there. He had a sudden impulse to take Jack's hand; not a sexual thing, but because the situation felt so intimate. He was about to tell Jack details he never shared even with Janet. He shrugged off the impulse and began to speak, explaining exactly what happened the day he became Entar's host.

Entar and his previous host, Cleis, accompanied Daniel to Chicago because the magazine article's reference to "the curse of Osiris" touched something in Entar's memories. They hoped to create an opportunity to examine the recovered artefacts. Neither of them anticipated discovering any threat to Earth, it was just an old Goa'uld legend that Entar half-remembered. Instead, Daniel learned that the apparently accidental death of Doctor Jordan was no accident, and there was a Goa'uld free on Earth.

But that wasn't all.

"Sarah wasn't just a colleague, Jack. We used to be...close. When I realised Osiris had made her his host, I couldn't let it go and wait for an SG team. It was a stupid thing to do, I know that, but when Cleis said there was a chance we could save her I had to try." Seeing the look on Jack's face, Daniel had to stifle a grin. He knew exactly what Jack was thinking: _always gotta play the hero, can't wait for backup, can't stop and think about the danger..._

"Jack, do you remember the state I was in back then? Physically?"

Jack nodded, the grin fading. "I remember. You were getting better."

"I could walk, Jack, but that wasn't ‘better'. I hurt all the time, even when I wasn't overdoing it. By the time Cleis and I reached the university, he was all but carrying me. He got me up to the archaeology department, but...well, by the time we got there, I wasn't exactly fast on my feet. I wasn't thinking clearly. I thought Cleis could handle it." For a moment Daniel closed his eyes. He still felt responsible for Cleis' death. He took a deep breath and continued, his voice quieter than before. "I guess...if we'd been armed, even just a zat, we could have handled Osiris. But we were stupid. We found her, and she pulled a gun."

He stopped talking. This was the hard part. He remembered his desperate attempt to save Cleis, but he also remembered the pain of the bullet piecing Cleis' chest. Entar felt that pain, and remembered it, made it part of Daniel's memories. The death of his friend.

Daniel swallowed. "I was shot first. At the time, I thought it was because I got in her way and her real target was Entar. Now, I know I was wrong." _Pain exploding in his shoulder, impact throwing him back... Pain piercing his body, bringing darkness... _

"Daniel?" Jack said tentatively, half reaching out for him.

Daniel looked up in time to see Jack's hand fall. He swallowed. "It's not an easy memory, Jack. You see, Osiris intended to wound me, not to kill me. Cleis she killed, but she shot him in the heart. A Goa'uld always goes for the head or neck, to kill both symbiot and host. She deliberately shot him in a way that would leave Entar alive."

"Why?"

"To force him to take me as a host. It was a distraction, to give her time to escape, and it worked. But it was more than that. By forcing Entar to take me, she would have eliminated the one person who might try to rescue her own host. Sarah."

"But Entar did take you as a host..."

"No, Jack. Osiris was imprisoned on Earth over five thousand years ago. Sarah knew nothing of the stargate, so Osiris' information was five millennia out of date. She had no way to know that Entar was Tok'Ra, or what that means to him. A Goa'uld would have taken the available host without a second thought. Entar was willing to die rather than take me against my will."

Jack was shaking his head. "So what happened? Daniel, you told me you weren't willing to be his host."

"When did I give up the right to change my mind? Jack, he was my friend. Cleis was already dead. The bullet went into his heart; no symbiot can heal that. At the SGC there might have been other options, but we weren't at the SGC. My choices were offer myself as a host, or watch my friend die."

"And you expect me to believe that if you hadn't been willing..."

"Entar would have died. Yes. Jack, I had to beg him to take me. I did beg him." He hesitated, meeting Jack's troubled eyes. "Jack, you know me. Look me in the eye and tell me you believe I could let a friend die, when it was within my power to save him."

Silence. Jack looked into Daniel's eyes. Eventually, he said, "No, Daniel, I guess you couldn't."

"The Tok'Ra don't take unwilling hosts, Jack."

"Tell that to Carter," he retorted instantly.

Daniel sighed. "I know. Jolinar was always...flexible about her principles in a crisis. But I'm not sure she realised Sam was unwilling. Sam gave mouth-to-mouth to Jolinar's dying host; she might have honestly believed Sam was offering herself. The Tok'Ra don't know what CPR is." He shook his head. "None of which excuses what she did _after_ that, because she would have known very quickly that Sam wasn't willing. But whatever Jolinar's motives, Entar isn't the same. Jack, when we were lost in the desert on Alkar, he could have let me die and taken another host. I even told him to do that, when I thought we couldn't both live through it. He had the perfect opportunity..."

_Jack, holding him like a lover, kissing Daniel full on his lips..._

"...but he wouldn't do it. He won't take a host that way, Jack."

"I believe you, Daniel."

"When you and I first discussed this, I couldn't imagine being a host. When I told you I wouldn't do it, I meant every word I said. But that was before. Today...this hasn't always been easy, Jack, but I don't regret it. I'm happy as I am. This is the right thing for me."

"I'm never going to understand that part."

"Well, can you just take my word for it?"

Jack grinned. "I think I can mange that."

Daniel glanced at the technician who was still waiting near the door. She wasn't within hearing range. He looked at Jack again. "Good, because there's something else I need to say to you, Jack, something I've got to say now, while you'll know it's me talking." He took a deep breath, knowing Jack, knowing that this could wreck the friendship they were tentatively rebuilding. "I've worked hard to bring Earth and the Tok'Ra together, and I hope I can continue doing it. But you have to understand that I _am_ Tok'Ra, Jack. I made that choice a year ago, and it can't be taken back."

Jack's eyes narrowed as he listened. Daniel watched him process the information; saw one emotion after another flitter across Jack's face, ending in a frown. Finally, he said flatly, "You're telling me I can't trust you."

"If that's what it means to you, Jack, you're dumber than you pretend to be. I'm saying you can trust me, because you know me. You're an officer, Jack, you know what I'm trying to say." He was trying to make Jack understand that his _first_ loyalty wasn't — couldn't be — to the Air Force. Not any more. If it had been, once, General Vidrine ended that by forcing Daniel to choose when he first became Entar's host. There wasn't really a way back from that. Daniel didn't see a conflict in his loyalties. He knew Jack would. Jack's instant reaction: that it was an issue of trust, confirmed it.

Jack was silent for a long time. Daniel waited.

Jack nodded. "I hear you, Daniel."

It was very non-committal. Daniel smiled hopefully. "Then...we're okay?"

"We're okay."

Daniel stood with some relief. "Good. Is is okay with you if I take this thing off now? I don't like being separated from Entar."

Jack nodded. "Does that keep him out of your mind?" he asked, reluctantly curious.

"Not exactly," Daniel answered, beckoning to the technician. "I can still feel him, but the conscious connection is gone." He saw Jack's frown and smiled. "It's...hard to explain," he added.

Jack returned his smile. "Well, I think we can safely say you've made your point, Daniel. Take it off." He nodded at the technician.

The light on Daniel's chest went out and it was like a dam bursting in his mind. He took a deep breath. «_Are you okay?_»

«_I am well, my friend_.»

* * *

They headed into the main audience chamber for Daniel to give his formal thanks to the Tolan Curia for their assistance. When they first arrived, Entar had handled the discussion. This time, Daniel remained in control as they walked through to the familiar room. He still needed some proof of a connection between the Tolan and Anubis.

As they entered the chamber, Daniel said casually to Jack, "I guess I understand why you were reluctant to trust Entar. He was responsible for Tanith's host and I know what it meant for you to witness that."

Jack answered him, but Daniel was looking at Chancellor Travell as he spoke. He wasn't staring, just watching her with his peripheral vision. It was easy enough to do as they were walking toward her. Daniel spoke just loud enough for her to hear and he saw her react. Travell was well-practised, a perfect politician. But Daniel saw the reaction in her eyes, and in the way her expression froze utterly, just for a moment.

It was enough. «_She knows him_.»

«_That's all we need, Entar. If the Tolan have had any sort of contact with Tanith and failed to advise the Tok'Ra, we can't trust them_.»

«_Agreed_.»

Entar took over to address the Chancellor. "Chancellor Travell, my thanks for your assistance."

She bowed her head formally. "The Tolan people are happy to help our friends."

Entar returned the bow. He looked up and asked casually, "Out of interest, Chancellor, have the Goa'uld returned here since my host's last visit?" Daniel was aware of Jack looking sharply at him and hoped he would stay quiet. Entar's eyes remained on Travell.

A minute shake of her head. "It seems they have learned to avoid our planet once more."

"That's good to know," Entar acknowledged. "Thank you again, Chancellor."

Outside the Curia building, Jack challenged him at once. "What was that really all about, Daniel?"

Entar, still in control of their shared body, held up a hand quickly. "Not here, General."

"Then there is something else going on?"

"I will explain at Stargate Alpha."

* * *

Jack stifled a tut of irritation when he saw Jacob Carter waiting for them at the base of the ramp. Daniel insisted on that trip to Tolana and Jack didn't really mind doing Daniel a favour, but he hated being taken for a ride. If that trip had just been about scoring some political point, he was going to be very annoyed with Daniel.

Daniel bounded down the ramp when he saw Jacob.

Jacob grinned at Daniel. "You certainly know how to light a fire under the High Council, Entar."

"Does that mean they agreed?" Daniel asked eagerly.

_Agreed to what? _

"They want you back at Revanna yesterday for a full report," Jacob said.

That was enough for Jack. "Now, wait a moment..." he interrupted. Daniel wasn't going anywhere until Jack had an explanation.

Daniel raised a hand as if to touch Jack, but let it drop. He shook his head. "I can't do that, Jacob. I've already given the Council as full a report as I could, and I haven't even told Jack where I was."

"You don't work for the SGA, Daniel."

Daniel's sharp look kept Jack silent, but it was an effort.

Daniel said firmly, "This concerns all of us. I won't leave until I've told the SGA everything I know."

_Attaboy, Daniel!_ "Thanks," Jack said.

Jacob glanced at the floor, silent for a moment. Then looked up with an odd smile. "I told them you'd say that." He looked at Jack. "General, earlier Daniel asked me to arrange for one of the council members to come here. As Daniel is unwilling to return, Garshaw will be here in the morning, your time. Unless you object."

"Oh, I object — " Jack began.

Predictably, Daniel didn't let him finish. But he didn't yell or even gesture to ask Jack to be quiet. Instead he just spoke up, quietly but clearly, answering all the unspoken questions. "The Goa'uld Entar and I were sent to investigate is Anubis. He is developing a weapon of mass destruction. And by _mass destruction_ I mean the moon where he tested it is now an asteroid field."

Jack shut up fast.

"This weapon is designed to be delivered via the stargate, and is combined with a technology that gives a whole new meaning to the phrase surprise attack. It is also capable of going straight through any solid matter. Like your iris. Do I have your attention yet, Jack?" That last was sarcastic.

Jack took a shaky breath. "Undivided," he answered.

Daniel's blue eyes met his. "The Tok'Ra have reason to believe Earth is on Anubis' list of targets. We know we are. I asked for someone from the High Council to come here because we do have a chance to beat this. I think our best chance is to work together."

Into the tense silence that followed, Jacob said quietly, "He's right, Jack."

_Yep. Got that. No problemo._ Jack looked at both of the men before him, trying to absorb the implications of what he had just heard. An instant later his training took over, pushing the emotions to one side for now. "Briefing room, both of you. Now," Jack ordered. Neither Daniel nor Jacob hesitated, they just left. Thank you. Kovacek stepped up and Jack turned to him. "I'll need you in the briefing room, too, Stan. Get hold of Carter and tell her to bring SG-1 along...or at least herself and Teal'c," he amended.

"I'll call them and meet you in the briefing room, General," Kovacek acknowledged.

Jack hurried after Daniel.

* * *

There was a coffee percolator in one corner of the briefing room, and Daniel gratefully accepted Jack's offer of coffee while they waited for Colonel Kovacek and SG-1. The clock on the wall said it was almost midnight. Daniel didn't need the caffeine to stay alert; one of the benefits of being Tok'Ra was the ability to stay awake for much longer than twenty four hours without ill effects. But he was thirsty and he and Entar shared a taste for coffee. He took the mug from Jack gratefully and sipped the hot liquid. Perfection.

Just as well, he thought, as Jack turned to him, his expression grim. "Alright, Daniel, I want a complete briefing. Starting with everything your buddy here wouldn't tell me." His eyes flicked to where Jacob sat.

Daniel followed Jack's glance, clueless. "Huh?"

Jacob placed his coffee mug on the table in front of him. "When you went missing Jack bullied me into helping with his search and rescue," he explained. "Selmak felt it would be unwise to share certain details of your mission with the general."

Daniel frowned. "What details?"

Jacob answered in Goa'uld. "He blamed Entar for your disappearance. We thought if he knew about Entar's connection to Anubis and Nebhet it would make matters worse. We told him nothing of Anubis."

Jack snapped, "I hate it when you do that."

Daniel understood Jack's annoyance. It wasn't exactly polite to talk in front of him in a language they knew Jack couldn't understand. He sipped his coffee again, looking at both men. In English, he said, "Jacob, I'm grateful for your...discretion. But I think now is the time for truth. Lots of it." He looked at Jack. "The Goa'uld behind all this is Anubis. He's a very old Goa'uld, one of the first dynasty of system lords. As far as the Tok'Ra knew, he died a thousand years ago along with Nebhet, his queen. But now he's back, and that means we're in serious trouble."

"How bad is this snake?"

Daniel didn't know how to answer that question. «_There are no words for it, are there?_»

«_Anything you say, my friend, he's going to assume you're exaggerating_.»

«_That's what I'm afraid of_.» Daniel hesitated. "You're going to have to take my word for this: Anubis isn't like any other Goa'uld we've come up against. It's not just that he's evil. He's also more dangerous than I know how to explain. As for just how bad he is...well, let's put it this way. Anubis makes Nirrti look like Mother Theresa."

"Shit," Jack muttered.

"He's not exaggerating, Jack," Jacob put in. "Before he was exiled by the system lords, Anubis came very close to destroying the Tok'Ra. Our numbers were much greater before..."

Jacob's voice trailed off as Sam and Teal'c entered, flanked by Kovacek. Jack told them to sit with a gesture. "Go on," he said.

Daniel glanced at Jacob. Those memories might be hard on Jacob. He remembered that Selmak had been in the middle of that last battle. Daniel picked up the story so he wouldn't have to. "Anubis tortured the location of our largest base out of one of our operatives." He glanced at Jack, hoping he would understand what that meant. Jack would say that everyone can be made to break, eventually. For the Tok'Ra, with two minds in one body, that wasn't always true. For Anubis to break one of them, so quickly, was unprecedented, and horrifying in its implications. Daniel held Jack's gaze as he continued. "We had absolutely no warning of the attack and the battle was devastating. Anubis took prisoners...and torture isn't an adequate word for what he did to them. But at the same time he was in conflict with three of the system lords: Ra, Yu and Her'ur. What saved the Tok'Ra...I'm sorry, Jack but no one except the system lords know the details of what happened. All I know is Anubis crossed a line, finally did something the other system lords couldn't tolerate or accept. They forced him into exile, but even that wasn't enough for his enemies. Yu took a fleet after him and — we thought — killed him."

"And now he's back," Jack concluded.

Jacob nodded.

Daniel went on. "We — that is, the Tok'Ra — never really recovered from that time. But that's in the past. Our problem is the present." He glanced around the table. "If we're all here, General?" He shifted to formal address to remind himself, more than Jack, that he was speaking as an ambassador.

Jack nodded but said to Sam, "Are the rest of your team not coming, Major?"

"No, sir. Wilson and Simmons have been awake almost thirty hours working on the data we got from Alkar. I've had some sleep, but they haven't. I thought I should let them go off duty."

"Sounds fair," Jack agreed. "Daniel, you have our attention. Let's hear your plan."


	23. Memories

### The SGA

_Sam threw herself under the descending rings as the tunnel exploded into a thousand shards around her. Sharp-edged-crystals pierced her skin and she stifled a scream. The light of the rings was a welcome embrace. The seconds it took for her to rematerialise on the surface crawled frustratingly by. She could hear people dying all around her._

_The rings finally vanished and Sam fired her zat'nik'tel at the nearest Jaffa. She snatched his staff weapon as he fell and used it to finish him. He froze for an instant as she shot him and their eyes met. She recognised the symbol on his brow. _

_"Anubis," she snarled, dismissing the Jaffa's corpse from her attention. Whirling, she raised the staff weapon, and selected a new target. Again and again she fired, fighting to reach her friends. She felt rather than saw the one who joined her, taking position at her back as they fought. _

_"Selmak!" she cried. "Where is Rionn?" When Selmak didn't answer at once, panic threaded through her belly. "Selmak, where is Rionn?" she repeated. She killed two more Jaffa and wasted precious seconds to turn and face her friend. "Where is he?" she demanded a third time._

_Selmak met her eyes briefly before turning away to fire again. She shouted over her shoulder, "Five of our defenders were captured in the first wave of the attack. Rionn was among them."_

_No!_

Sam shook her head, looking around the table. The general met her eyes briefly. So did her dad.

Daniel was still talking. "...and the battle was devastating. He took prisoners...and torture isn't an adequate word for what he did to them."

_Rionn..._

Sam swallowed, the image flashing before her eyes for an instant. A dark-haired man, surrounded by some sort of metal, blood staining his skin. The image was gone before her mind could make sense of it. Across the table, her dad met her eyes with concern. I'm okay, she mimed for him, trying to push the flashback aside.

_"Jolinar, don't be foolish! You will be taken, too!"_

_Sam didn't even look back. Her hands moved over the controls of the fallen death glider. It was damaged but it would fly. It had to fly._

_«_Jolinar, I'm scared_.»_

_She had no time for her host's caution. «_Lileen, we cannot abandon Rionn_.» The glider powered up. «_Or the others_,» Sam added, belatedly._

_Lileen made no verbal reply, but her fear filled Sam's heart, turning her blood to ice. She answered the fear with anger, too busy to devote time to calming her host._

"...Yu took a fleet after him and — we all thought — killed him."

"And now he's back," General O'Neill concluded.

Sam pinched herself beneath the table, forcing herself to stay present. Thank god she'd managed those two hours sleep. Jolinar's memories rarely came to her so vividly, but Daniel's words brought that long-ago battle back whether she wanted it or no. Was this why she had been so uneasy about the earlier mission? It had to be...but as always when she tried to recall something Jolinar left within her, it felt like there were pieces missing. If she could get a quiet hour or two she would try to fill in some of the blanks. Sam glanced at her dad again, wondering if he would agree to help her this time. Selmak must know what happened — he...she had been there with Jolinar.

Jacob was looking at the general and Sam turned her attention to her CO just in time.

"Are the rest of your team not coming, Major?"

Sam shook her head, glad for the question as something to focus on. "No, sir. Wilson and Simmons have been awake almost thirty hours working on the data we got from Alkar. I've had some sleep, but they haven't. I thought I should let them go off duty."

"Sounds fair," the general agreed. "Daniel, you have our attention. Let's hear your plan."

_«_No, Jolinar!_»_

_Lileen's tears blurred Sam's vision and she blinked them away. Determinedly, she raised the staff weapon once again. Rionn's eyes met hers, pleading, accepting._

_«No!»_

_She fired. The first shot killed but she fired again and again, determined to leave nothing a sarcophagus could revive._

"Oh, my god," Sam whispered, running a hand through her hair.

"Sam?" her dad said.

At exactly the same time, the general asked, "Carter? What's wrong?"

Sam shook her head to clear it. "I'm not sure, sir. I'm sorry for the interruption."

Her dad looked troubled. "You're remembering, aren't you? I was afraid of that."

Without thinking, Sam asked, "Who's Lileen?"

Daniel answered, "She was Jolinar's host." He looked pale. "Sam, I'm sorry. I didn't think."

"We don't have time for this," O'Neill snapped. "Carter, do you want to see the doc?"

Daniel said, "Selmak?"

Sam looked at her dad, but he just shook his head. The enigmatic communication which excluded her, together with the general's justifiable irritation, helped Sam to banish Jolinar's feelings. She frowned at the two Tok'Ra. "Stop it, both of you. I'm fine."

Daniel looked at O'Neill and got a subtle nod in reply. He took a breath and started talking again. Sam listened to Daniel's report of his mission. He left out some details. Sam knew he had been in an alternate reality, because he'd used the quantum mirror to return to them, but he said very little about the time he had spent there. In conclusion, Daniel summarised what he knew for sure about Anubis' new weapon, and what he suspected.

When Daniel's voice fell silent, Jacob asked, "What's this about the weapon being able to go through an iris? That wasn't in your report to the High Council."

"I didn't want to say anything until I was certain. The device incorporates the Tolan's phase shifting technology."

Sam interjected, "Daniel, are you sure?"

At almost the same time, her dad said, "The Tolan wouldn't help a Goa'uld." Which was exactly what Sam had been thinking. The Tolan could be arrogant and superior but they weren't stupid. They knew what the Goa'uld were.

But Daniel was nodding reluctantly. "I can't prove it, but yes, I'm sure. I've used that technology — do you remember, Sam? When we helped the Tolan refugees leave the SGC."

Sam nodded. Daniel was the only one of them who had used the device.

"The phase shifting device has a very distinctive feel to it. Kind of like static, but it's not electrical. I felt the same thing in the gilash'ad. I had other things on my mind at the time..." he smiled wryly, " — like the building coming down on top of me — and I didn't recognise it until much later. But I know that's what I felt. We know Tanith was working for Anubis, and now I know that Tanith has been in contact with the Tolan Curia."

"_That's_ why you dragged me out there?" the general demanded.

Daniel shook his head. "No, Jack, I would have asked you to come out there with me anyway. We needed to have that conversation. But my suspicions about the Tolan were the reason it had to be now and not later." Sam watched several emotions chase across O'Neill's face. What did _that conversation_ mean?

Colonel Kovacek interrupted. "Let me see if I've got the message here." All eyes turned to him. "Anubis is a Goa'uld. A nasty one. Never mind how nasty — right now it's enough to know he's the enemy."

Sam nodded to herself. Kovacek was right. Jolinar's memories, disturbing as they were, could not affect the present. None of this extraneous talk mattered. Others were nodding, too.

"This Goa'uld has a powerful, unstoppable weapon. When he points it our way, we're toast. Correct?"

Daniel nodded. "Correct."

"If I've understood you, this weapon is not yet ready for use."

Daniel nodded again. "I can't be certain of that, but I hope it's not. The information I got on Alkar suggests it was anything from a couple of weeks to months away from completion."

"Then we have to destroy whatever it is now, before Anubis can use it."

"Exactly right," Jacob confirmed.

"Cool. How?"

The colonel's obvious question was answered with silence. Sam looked at Daniel.

Daniel's eyes opened and he looked at Kovacek. "Anubis' weapon is — was — being developed at six separate sites. Six planets. One was destroyed when the weapon was tested. The second is Alkar, which Entar destroyed when we were there. There are four left. I can tell you where they are, but that's all I know."

O'Neill said, "So we send in a couple of teams with a lot of C4. It worked for you, right?"

Sam's father shook his head. "Blowing the gilash'ad to hell is a good idea, Jack, but there's a big problem with that plan."

"Amaze me," the general said sarcastically. Sam found herself grinning and quickly stifled the expression.

"Human weapons leave distinctive traces," Daniel told them. "With a well-planned incursion I'm sure you could destroy the sites, but Anubis will investigate whatever is left. He'll find spent bullets and traces of C4 and he'll know who is responsible. You really don't want to invite his retribution, Jack."

"We have Jaffa weapons, and the skill to use them," Teal'c stated, speaking for the first time.

Sam nodded her agreement. "Teal'c's right. We could go in with zats and staff weapons." In her mind she saw the nameless Jaffa fall as Jolinar shot him and willed the memory away.

"It's a possibility," Daniel agreed. He finished his coffee. "I don't have any easy answers. The Tok'Ra have the technology to do this; not only weapons, but explosives and mines based on Goa'uld technology. What we don't have is the resources to mount a major attack on four sites simultaneously. We're set up for infiltration, not outright war. If we work together, I believe we can do this. But I think we should wait for Garshaw before making specific plans."

Teal'c said, "If we are to join forces with the Tok'Ra, that would be prudent."

"_If_ we are to join forces," O'Neill repeated firmly. "I haven't agreed to that yet."

Sam saw her dad roll his eyes and knew exactly what he was thinking. "Jack, all we're asking you to do is agree in principle. The details are open to negotiation when we come up with a strategy. _All_ of the details."

Including, though her dad wasn't saying it aloud, who would be in charge of a joint operation. They both knew the general well enough to know that would be a major issue. Sam looked at her CO expectantly. He wouldn't put his dislike of the Tok'Ra ahead of the lives of everyone on Earth. The only real question was whether he believed Daniel's story.

Jack groaned. "Agreed. Daniel, I want you to give Carter the locations of those planets. Including the stargate addresses. Carter, once you have the locations, see what you can pull out of our records. I want a full report as soon as possible."

"Yes, sir."

"I think the best thing we can do is sleep on it. We'll reconvene at 0700." He glanced at Jacob. "Can your Councillor be here by then?"

"Easily."

"Good. Daniel, is there _any_ defence against this weapon?"

Daniel had been writing rapidly on a sheet of paper. At Jack's question he looked up. Sam held her breath.

Daniel shook his head. "Only the unacceptable option." He passed the paper to Sam: four sets of co-ordinates with stargate addresses.

"Which is?"

"Bury the stargate. Permanently. Even that may not be a long-term solution. The intent is to deliver the weapon via the stargate, but it could just as easily be delivered by ship."

"You said you have evidence Earth is a target. What about this base?"

Jacob answered, "The SGA is safe from Goa'uld attack because they don't know where you are. This planet isn't on any Goa'uld map. As far as we know that hasn't changed. But I wouldn't base any long-term plans on that."

"So it's Earth that's in real danger."

Daniel nodded. "Yes." He sounded weary, and Sam realised he must be thinking of Janet and Cassie. They were in danger, and he couldn't be with them.

O'Neill nodded. "Okay. Daniel, you're with me. Everyone else, dismissed."

* * *

"Why me?" Daniel asked. Not that he objected.

"I'm about to call Earth. I thought you'd want to let the doc know you're okay. She was a mess when I saw her yesterday."

Daniel had begun to stand; he sank down into the chair. "Janet. She thinks I'm dead." He had been focussing so hard on Anubis he had put her out of mind. Partly because thinking about her brought up other issues he wasn't prepared for at the moment, but how could he have failed to think about her grieving for him? Had he become so cold?

«_If you were cold, my friend, you wouldn't be hurting now. It is my doing. I wanted us both focussed on the objective_.»

«_You...?_»

«_I cannot control your thoughts, but I could divert you when they turned in that direction_.»

«_Well, don't. Don't mess with my mind_!» Daniel put real anger behind the thought, though he knew he was being unfair. Entar was just trying to steady him — the same thing he had learned to do for Entar.

"It's about nineteen hundred at Cheyenne Mountain," Jack told him. "If you're lucky she'll still be there. I'm about to recommend they close the Earth gate, so this will be your last chance for a while."

Daniel saw Sam approach her father as she left the briefing room. That was a relief. «_What the hell was she remembering, Entar? I've never seen Sam distracted that badly_.»

«_I was not part of that battle, my friend, that's why you don't remember it as she does. Jolinar attempted to rescue the Tok'Ra who were prisoners aboard Anubis' hat'ak. She found them but was unable to free them_.»

«_And...?_» Daniel prompted.

Entar was not comfortable with the story. «_Jolinar killed the prisoners so they could not be forced to betray the Tok'Ra_.»

«_What?_»

«_She reported that there was no other way. One of them was her lover, my friend. Jolinar would not have sacrificed Rionn had there been any alternative_.»

«_I'm not sure I understand that. I mean, even if there was no other way, I couldn't_...» Daniel shook his head. «_You're distracting me again_.»

«_You asked the question_.»

Daniel stood with a shrug and followed Jack.

* * *

"Jack, you can't mean that." General Vidrine had listened fairly impassively to most of Jack's report. He barely even reacted to Daniel's presence — that was normal for Vidrine, but Daniel felt just a little put-out. He would like to be missed a little. It was only when Jack reached the end, with his suggestion that the Earth stargate should be sealed, that Vidrine let his emotions show.

Jack answered firmly, "That's my recommendation, sir. The Tok'Ra have specific intelligence that Earth is a target. It's not conclusive, but I think we should take it seriously."

Daniel stifled a smile. «_General Jack O'Neill taking the Tok'Ra seriously. That should scare the crap out of Vidrine_!»

Vidrine nodded. "Very well. I'll leave it in your hands."

"The Tok'Ra will send a ship your way when we have news," Daniel volunteered. "One way or the other."

"Thank you."

Daniel glanced at Jack, who gave him permission to speak with a quick nod. "General, is Janet on the base?"

Did he imagine that softening of Vidrine's grim expression? "I'm afraid not, Doctor Jackson. She requested a few days leave. I believe she was taking Cassandra for a short holiday."

"Damn," Daniel swore. "General, since I can't speak to her, I'll be grateful if someone could let her know I'm alive and okay."

"I'll take care of it personally."

The offer surprised Daniel, but he smiled, genuinely grateful. "Thank you, General."

"Jack," Vidrine said, all-business once more, "if we don't hear from you within ten days, I'll unlock the gate long enough to call you."

Jack nodded. "I hope we'll have good news for you before then, sir."

"I hope so, too. SGC out."

As the stargate shut down, Daniel turned away from the screen. "Jan..." he whispered to himself.

«_We can do nothing from here, my friend. Try not to worry about her_.»

«_But she's hurting, Entar! She's hurting enough to leave the SGC_.»

«_And how will your pain make hers less?_» the symbiot asked him practically.

«_Damn it, Entar, that's not the point_.»

«_My friend, as difficult as you find the truth, the fact is there are more important things happening here and now. Janet is a survivor. Let it be_.»

«_Fuck you_,» Daniel sent angrily.

«_Physically impossible_,» Entar responded, sending a mental image along with the thought.

It was hard to sustain anger when Entar didn't share it. Despite himself, Daniel chuckled. «_Alright, Entar, I'll try. Is that enough?_»

"What's so funny?" Jack asked him.

"Oh...ah...nothing, Jack." No way was Daniel going to try explaining that one to Jack.

"The snake cracking jokes?"

_Snake._ Daniel sighed. "Something like that," he admitted, "but...could you not call him a snake? His name is Entar."

"Oh. Sorry."

Daniel frowned. "Do you talk to Jacob like that?"

Jack shrugged. "Sometimes."

Daniel looked hard at him. "I guess that explains a few things."

* * *

Jack's breath was white on the air as they walked toward the residential block. Daniel, not wearing a jacket, shivered in the chill night. Jack saw it and smiled. "The nights can be cold on this planet. You wouldn't believe it's spring here now, would you?"

"I'm fine, Jack. Cold doesn't bother me much."

A swipe card unlocked the door to Jack's quarters. He hesitated in the act of opening the door, turning to Daniel. "You want to come in? Have a beer or six?"

Remembering that other Jack again, Daniel didn't trust himself to say yes.

«_This is a different man, my friend_.»

«_I know_.»

«_So stop thinking of him that way_.»

Daniel shook his head. "Uh...no thanks, Jack. I think you need to get some sleep. I know I do."

Jack nodded. "You really think I'll be able to sleep after what you've told us?"

"I hope so. It's bad, Jack, but we can beat Anubis if we move quickly."

"Yeah. Well...goodnight."

"'Night, Jack." He began to turn away to head back to his assigned quarters.

"Daniel, wait!" Jack called after him suddenly. "I have something of yours." He disappeared into his quarters.

Daniel hesitated and stepped over the threshold. It was a three-room apartment: the main room had a small kitchenette, and doors leading to a bathroom and bedroom. The main room had Jack's personality firmly stamped on it: it was tidy, but lived-in. Empty beer bottles were stacked near the door for recycling. There was a shelf of video tapes above the small TV set. Reports were stacked haphazardly on the coffee table.

Jack took something from the shelf above the TV and offered it to Daniel.

Daniel took the chain from Jack's hand. He recognised Cleis' bracelet immediately, but couldn't imagine how Jack came to possess it. He held the chain up in his hand, watching the light reflect on the links. The clasp had been repaired. He looked past the bracelet to Jack. "Jack...how...?"

"We found it on Alkar when we were looking for you. Jacob found it, I should say. I had Carter fix it up for you."

Daniel examined the clasp. It hadn't been repaired, he realised, it had been replaced. The new clasp looked like Trinium: it wouldn't break again. He fastened it around his wrist. "Thanks, Jack." His gratitude was real, but he was waiting for the inevitable acerbic comment: I never saw you as the jewellery type or some such.

Jack just smiled briefly. "You're welcome. Goodnight, Daniel."

* * *

Sam shifted uncomfortably in her easy chair. "I'm not sure I understand, Dad." Which wasn't entirely true. Part of her did understand: the part that was making her stomach churn with a mixture of fear and darker things.

It was past three in the morning and they had been talking about Jolinar since Sam came off duty. This might be the longest conversation she'd had with her father since he joined the Tok'Ra. The longest they'd managed without being interrupted by a crisis of some sort. _You see, Sam, there's always a positive side to Jonilar's shit._

He wasn't smiling. "You've seen it before. On Netu. It's the same substance as the mask Apophis was wearing."

"That was some kind of metal," Sam remembered. She remembered Apophis' appearance all too well: though at the time just the fact he was alive had impressed her more than the mask. She closed her eyes, remembering. It hadn't been a mask, exactly. It was as if half of his face had been replaced by metal plating.

Jacob shook his head. "No, it just looks like metal. It's a mostly organic compound, it's tough and has many of the properties of steel. That's why Goa'ulds like Sokar and Anubis use it; it's a method of torture that exploits the healing ability of a symbiot."

"And that's what Anubis did to his Tok'Ra prisoners?" Flashes of images came to mind, enough to confirm Sam's thought.

It was Selmak who answered her. "Restraints that pierce flesh rather than enclose it. A human body cannot be held in that way: shock and blood loss would be fatal. But for us, the symbiot is forced to heal the host — "

Sam swallowed, the disconnected images in her head suddenly coalescing into crystal clarity. "Oh, god. I remember." Her fist clenched tightly, her fingernails cutting into her palm. "There was nothing she could do to free them."

"Nothing but what she did," Selmak said quietly. "Jolinar never lacked courage."

Sam felt tears sting her eyes. The grief wasn't hers, but Jolinar's and she blinked back the tears. She was determined to deal with this. However traumatic this was, it happened a thousand years before Sam was born. There was no way this should still be a problem for her.

"Dad?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for being honest with me about all this."

Jacob met her eyes with an unhappy smile. "I'm not telling you anything that's not already in your head. Are you okay with all this?"

She nodded, glancing at the clock. "I might not sleep too well tonight, but yeah, Dad, I'll be fine."

"You're not the only one who isn't going to sleep tonight, Sam. We've got..." he glanced at the clock: 04:39. "...Around two hours to come up with a way to stop history repeating itself."

"Gee, Dad, way to wish me sweet dreams."

It didn't get a laugh, but Jacob did raise a smile. "Sorry. I'll leave you to sleep."

They shared a hug at the door. "Goodnight, Dad."

"Sweet dreams."

* * *

In the early hours of the morning, Daniel, unable to sleep, dressed and went for a walk along the riverbank. It was a clear night: three moons shone in the sky, two crescents, one almost full. Daniel had no need for a flashlight. He walked slowly, his eyes on the silvery water. His time in that other reality was beginning to fade in his memory, like a dream. One thing was certain: Daniel wouldn't be going back to that reality or to any other. Returning through the Mirror hurt Entar. The next trip might kill him.

«_But if we can discover why we may be able to guard against it_.»

«_It's not worth the risk, Entar. Not while I'm your host_.»

Entar's agreement was reluctant. «_Even so, the research is worth continuing. A weapon that will harm a symbiot but not the host could be extremely valuable_.»

«_You're right. But you're worth more to me than a guinea pig. If the research is going to be done, it won't be by us_.»

That was Daniel's last word on the subject. He looked up at the stars. Their nightmare walk through the desert of Alkar was just a memory now. But one thing stood out in his recollection, still sharp.

Jack.

Was Jack happier now? Had Daniel helped his grief, or might his leaving have made it worse?

He would never know.

Refusing to think about it, afraid that if he did he would go crazy from it, Daniel turned back toward the base. Not ready to try sleeping again, he sat on a bench beside the river. He stayed there, listening to the river and watching the skies, for a long time. As the first rays of dawn appeared, outlining the distant hills, someone sat beside him.

Daniel hadn't felt his approach — he was probably too wrapped up in his own thoughts — but he knew without looking up that it was Jacob. "How's Sam?" he asked.

Jacob let out a long breath. "I didn't realise how much of Jolinar my girl remembered."

Daniel turned to him, then. "She doesn't talk about it. I had no idea she would remember the battle. Is she okay?"

"I filled her in on a few things and we talked about it all." It wasn't quite an answer to Daniel's question. "Sam's strong," Jacob added with evident pride. "I think she'll do fine."

Daniel nodded. "That's good to know."

"I thought you'd be sleeping by now. Is something on your mind, Danny?" Jacob asked him.

"You mean besides Armageddon?"

"Yeah, besides that."

"Something," Daniel admitted.

«_Some_one.» Entar corrected him.

"You want to talk about it?" Jacob offered.

Somehow the thought of discussing his sex life with Sam's father didn't appeal.

«_Don't dismiss him so quickly. Remember he is also Selmak_.»

That was true. Daniel sighed, staring up at the moon remaining in the sky. The other two had set. He turned to face the other man and began to speak, telling the story as simply as he could.

Daniel didn't know what reaction he expected, but it wasn't laughter. Offended, he started to get up.

Jacob grabbed the back of his shirt and pulled him back down. "I'm sorry, Daniel. I wasn't laughing at you."

"No?"

"Selmak said: 'Entar should never, ever be allowed a sex life.'"

«_That was five hundred years ago!_» Entar's silent protest was good-humoured.

«_What was?_»

«_Never mind_.»

«_Do you really think I'm going to let it go at that?_»

«_Selmak could be right, but I don't plan to spend the next two centuries celibate_.»

"So..." Jacob asked, "what's the problem?"

"Didn't I just tell you that?" Daniel frowned.

"You told me what happened. Not why it's got you out here when you could be sleeping." Jacob rested his hand briefly on Daniel's shoulder. "Look, Danny, we all go through it. With the amount of time you've spent away from the Tok'Ra, it's surprising you've lasted this long without a crisis." He hesitated, then in a somewhat different voice, asked, "Is it because he's a man?"

Daniel shook his head. "No. I have a long list of things, but that's not on it." He met Jacob's eyes, aware that the question said something about Jacob. No...he wasn't ready to examine that one. He forced a smile and added, "I figured out a year ago that Entar does strange things to my sexuality."

"But...?"

"I'm in love with her, Jacob."

"I know."

"I didn't even think about her. Not then. When I was..."

"I don't need the diagram," Jacob interrupted. "So you're sitting here feeling guilty for being unfaithful?"

"I feel guilty because I _don't_ feel guilty," Daniel confessed. "I mean, shouldn't I? God, I'm not making sense here, am I?"

"Yeah, you are." Jacob was silent for a moment. "You might not want to hear this..."

"Say it."

"I know you love her, Daniel. But no matter how strong your feelings are, it's never going to be perfect. You will _always_ have these doubts, always feel there's something missing, because what's missing is Entar. You love her, Daniel. He doesn't."

Entar made no comment, but in his sadness Daniel felt his agreement with Selmak's thought. Selmak, yes, not Jacob, though it was Jacob who spoke the words. Tok'Ra could be like that.

And he wasn't finished. "I'm not saying it can't work out for you. Maybe what you have is enough. I'm in no place to judge."

"You're in a better place than I am right now."

"That's fatigue talking. Here's something else you already know: one of the best, and the worst things about blending with a symbiot is you have to deal with emotions coming from two minds. When the two of you are in conflict it can be anything between discomfort and torture. When symbiot and host feel the same thing at the same time, it can drive out all thought. I think, from what you just told me, you experienced something of that unity with that other O'Neill."

«_I'm not in love with him!_» Daniel's protest was immediate. But that wasn't what Jacob was saying. Love, lust...the emotion didn't matter, just the unity. Entar had told him the sexual impulse was natural after their ordeal in the desert, and Daniel had read enough psychology to know he had a point. The impulse had been directed at Jack because Jack was there. Had Sam or Janet in that reality made a pass, Daniel might have reacted in the same way.

That didn't make Daniel proud of his behaviour. He could only hope he hadn't screwed with Jack's head as well as...

«_If anything, you helped him. Stop feeling guilty_.»

«_Yes, sir!_» Daniel sent, the thought heavy with sarcasm. He sighed heavily. "I guess you're right, Selmak, but..."

"She doesn't need to know, Daniel. The things we do on missions are best not discussed. Necessity will place you in unpleasant situations every time. You've made your confession. Now lock it away."

"How do I do that, Jacob?"

"The same way the rest of us do," Jacob answered bluntly. "Look, about that armageddon..."

Daniel seized on the change of subject gratefully. "Yes?"

"I think I have an idea. I'd like to run it past you and Entar. That is, if you're awake enough to try to pick holes in this."

«_His idea, or Selmak's?_» Daniel repeated Entar's question for Jacob.

He chuckled. "Oh, definitely mine. Selmak isn't quite convinced — that's why I want your opinion."

«_If Selmak is uncertain_...»

«_Then it might be something Jack will go for. We don't have any better ideas, do we?_»

"You've got it. Let's go back to my room and you can tell me all about it."


	24. Best Laid Plans

"Tok'Ra IDC confirmed, General."

Jack glanced at Jacob and Daniel. "Right on time," he commented. To Lieutenant Halloran, he added, "Open the iris." He led the way to the gate room. Flanked by both men, he waited at the base of the ramp for Garshaw to appear. They did not have to wait long.

"Welcome to Stargate Alpha," Jack said formally, as Garshaw reached them. They hadn't met since SG-1's first encounter with the Tok'Ra. Garshaw looked no different from their first meeting. Not unusually tall, she gave the impression she towered over everyone: it was the way she carried herself with such confidence and pride. She wore black, a full length robe that covered all of her body except her hands. She wore a ring on one hand; it looked like jewellery, but who could tell? It might be more than decorative.

Garshaw inclined her head slightly, acknowledging Jack's words. "Thank you for the welcome, General O'Neill." Her eyes slid past him to Daniel. "Entar," she said, without a hint of a smile. "Well done."

Daniel must have answered with a gesture of some sort; he said nothing.

Jack didn't look at him. "If it's alright with you, we'll get down to business straight away."

"Of course," Garshaw agreed.

Entar stepped forward. "With your permission, General?" Jack nodded, and he continued, "We have a meeting scheduled very soon, but there are some things you need to know that weren't in my first report. If you'll come with me...?"

Jack nodded to Entar as they left the gate room. Having made the diplomatic decision to treat this as a formal summit, Jack had turned the second conference room over to the Tok'Ra. Garshaw was — in effect — a visiting head of state, but there was no time to prepare a more formal reception. Daniel assured him the formalities wouldn't matter. They just needed a room where they could talk privately; the conference room would serve.

He turned to Jacob, who spoke before Jack could even form the question. "Entar won't take long, Jack. We'll be ready for the meeting."

"And you're still not going to let me in on this idea of yours," Jack said gruffly.

Jacob fell into step beside Jack as they left the gate room. "Jack, it might not be easy to sell this idea to Garshaw. She's my CO. How much harder do you think it'll be to sell if she knows I talked to you first?"

"What makes you so sure _I'll_ be buying?"

Jacob didn't smile, but Jack caught a hint of humour in his eyes. "I'm _not_ sure. You'll do what's in the best interests of your people, and Earth. I'm okay with that. The Tok'Ra on the other hand... Well, we tend to think a lot more long term. By Tok'Ra standards what I'm going to propose is seriously radical. If you or your people can come up with a better plan, I'm on board with that, too. We need to get this done."

"Agreed," Jack nodded, conscious that he wasn't the only one holding back information. He told Carter to keep her latest report to herself because he didn't want someone holding it over his head. Jack sighed inwardly. Politics always gave him headaches. "Jake, I'll meet you in the briefing room. I have a couple of things to take care of myself."

* * *

Jack called Carl Miller and asked him to attend the briefing with the others. Carl was technically a civilian and didn't belong at the table for this meeting. But this wasn't a normal situation and Carl had as much experience as Jack — if not more — of unorthodox warfare. He was a resource, and this was a time to use every resource they had. Next, Jack called Major Kellerman, who was the senior officer on duty, and satisfied himself that there was nothing urgently requiring his attention. There was one team remaining off-world, and they were expected back shortly. As soon as SG-7 were back, the gate could be secured. Good enough. He rose and headed to the briefing room.

Jack was the last to arrive, which suited him fine. From the far end of the table, Teal'c greeted him with a minutely raised eyebrow. On Teal'c's right sat Carter, Wilson, Simmons and Kovacek. On his left, Jacob, Garshaw, Daniel and Carl.

He took his seat. Protocol first: Jack ran through the introductions for Garshaw's benefit. He took a deep breath. "Before we start talking about how to combat this new threat, we have uncovered some new information." He looked at Daniel and the other Tok'Ra. "I'd like to hear your opinions of this."

Daniel looked startled. "Problem?"

"That's what I'm hoping you can tell me. Major Carter?"

"Thank you, sir." Carter opened the folder in front of her. "Last night Daniel gave us the locations of the four planets we need to hit. I went through our databases in search of intel and found matches all four planets." She pointed a remote control at the screen behind Jack and he shifted his chair to the side as it came on.

Carter continued, "P8L-913. We sent a MALP to this planet eleven months ago when it came up on our schedule for a standard recon." The image on the screen showed a barren landscape shrouded in thick, yellowish fog. "These are the images we got from the MALP. The ambient temperature on the planet is five degrees Celsius. Gravity and atmospheric pressure are close to Earth-normal, but the atmosphere has high levels of ammonia and sulphur. It was classed as toxic. The MALP returned no further information of interest, so no SG team was ever sent there."

Entar said, "All of the gilash'ad were placed in inhospitable locations. Alkar, as you know, is a lifeless desert. That this planet is also uninhabitable is no surprise."

Carter nodded. "Anubis did this deliberately, then? It makes sense. Less chance of visitors." She paused for breath, then went on with her presentation. "Two of the planets came up blank. The stargate addresses are in our database, but we've never been there. It's the fourth that worries me."

"Why?" Entar asked.

"The gate address is in our database, but it's not from a Goa'uld source."

There was silence for a moment, then Entar asked slowly, "What is the source?"

"It's one of the addresses General O'Neill added to the database when he had the knowledge of the Ancients downloaded into his brain."

Jack winced. He never enjoyed being reminded of that incident — one of the few times he, rather than Daniel, had been the one to touch something he shouldn't — despite the benefits that came of it. Without intending to, he met Entar's eyes across the table, and saw Daniel's half-smile warring with the concern in Entar's eyes.

Carl leaned forward slightly. "I must be missing something here. What's the significance of that?"

Entar's eyes closed briefly. To Jack's relief, it was Daniel who spoke next. "When we first got the stargate to work, we knew only a single address: Abydos. A lot of people thought that was the only place the stargate could go. During the year I lived on Abydos I discovered the cartouche chamber, which Sam used to expand our database of addresses. It made the stargate program possible. At that time all of the addresses we knew were worlds known to the Goa'uld.

"We managed to add a small number of addresses from other sources, but it wasn't until Jack briefly gained the knowledge of the Ancients — the original builders of the stargate network — that we gained a significant number of gate addresses that did not come from a Goa'uld source. The list proved invaluable, because those are planets unknown to the Goa'uld. The SGA came from that list."

Carl grasped the point instantly. "Whoa. So you're saying that this Anubis might have access to the same database? He could know we're here?"

"That's a worst-case scenario," Daniel answered. "The cartouche chamber on Abydos charted the stargates within the territories of the system lords at a specific point in time, thousands of years ago. Those territories have expanded since then, and there are several ways Anubis could have discovered Stargates not on the Goa'uld map." He bit his lip. "One of the possibilities is he may have found a way to access the Ancients' Legacy as Jack did, but even if he has, that can't lead him directly to the SGA. This is one planet among thousands."

"That's not as reassuring as I'd like," Jack said.

Daniel answered with a shrug: it was all he knew.

Carl nodded. "General, we're already on high alert. Without specific intelligence it would be counter-productive to do more."

Reluctantly, Jack agreed with him. "Agreed, but let's review the security status as soon as we're done here. We do have some specifics to add."

"Yes, sir."

Jack looked at Daniel, hoping he would be able to tell them more. But it was Entar who spoke up. (When did they switch?) "The Tok'Ra have only just learned of Anubis' return. I do not believe we have an operative close to him as yet..."

Garshaw interrupted, "We do not." She waited for silence. "We will make our operatives aware of this. Should we learn of a specific threat to the SGA, we will advise you at once."

"I'm grateful," Jack told her. "Is there anything else on the addresses, Carter?"

"No, sir."

Jack nodded a thank you to Carter, then turned to Jacob.

"It's your show, General," he said.

_Great_. "We need to find a way to destroy four laboratories, on four separate planets, each accessible by stargate. We need to hit them simultaneously, or as near to that as possible, so none of them can call for help. And we have to do this without allowing the enemy to discover we — Earth and the Tok'Ra — are the ones responsible." He met Daniel's eyes. "Does that about sum it up?"

Entar answered, "I believe so, General."

"Well..." Captain Wilson began. He waited for Jack's nod before he continued, "Jacob told us we can't use our own equipment if we want to conceal our involvement. I don't mean to sound obstructive, but why are we involved at all? I mean, the Tok'Ra are the sabotage experts, aren't you?"

"It was my decision to bring this to General O'Neill," Entar announced. Jack wondered if that were true, or did "my decision" mean Daniel's? "I do not believe either of us can do this alone."

"But..."

"Captain," Carter interrupted him. "Entar, what sort of defences are we looking at?"

"The gilash'ad on Alkar had only minimal defences. A number of Jaffa guards, but no ships. The only active defences were ground-to-air. The remote location was the gilash'ad's primary defence."

"Will the other labs be similar?" Carter pressed.

"It is likely. However one of the four remaining gilash'ad will be the site where the weapon itself is being assembled. That may be more heavily defended."

"Which one?"

"There is no way to know that, Major Carter."

Wilson spoke up again, "Then if the Tok'Ra can supply us with explosives, we could go in and blow three out of four fairly easily."

"You cannot scout all four planets. It would be declaring your intention to attack." Garshaw's response was immediate. Her condescending tone immediately put Jack's hackles up. And she wasn't done. "Neither can you attack without prior intelligence. Should your people encounter heavy resistance, you will fail. An attack of this nature requires ships, which neither you nor the Tok'Ra possess."

"That's not entirely true, Garshaw." Jacob jumped in so quickly Jack knew he had been waiting for that opening.

She barely glanced at him. "Explain."

"Other than personnel — which is no small issue — the Tok'Ra do have the necessary resources for this operation. Or, at least, the means to obtain them."

"That is not an option," Garshaw said with finality.

"I disagree," Jacob answered. "If there was ever a time to consider a course of last resort, it is now."

"And if we fail?"

Jack had heard enough. He held up a hand, interrupting. "We all agree that Anubis represents a clear and present danger. If you people can help us — and help yourselves, too — _why wouldn't you?_"

Garshaw answered him, "It would weaken the Tok'Ra too greatly."

"It's a risk," Entar said hesitantly, "but..."

"What _exactly_ are you talking about?" Jack demanded.

"It's a possibility Daniel and I discussed last night," Jacob volunteered. "We could get our hands on a couple of hat'ak — Goa'uld motherships — but at a very high price. And we don't have Jaffa armies, so we'd need some help to man them."

"What price?"

Entar said, "If I may...?"

Jacob nodded. "You have the floor."

Entar bowed his head briefly, then Daniel was back. He met Jack's eyes, clasping his hands before him on the table. He took a deep breath. "At any one time, about half of the Tok'Ra are on undercover missions. Most missions are relatively short term, like my mission to Alkar. We go in, we do whatever we came to do, then we get out. But some Tok'Ra take on a much harder, more dangerous role: long term deep cover missions. These can last for decades. These Tok'Ra pass as Goa'uld, not just for brief missions but for the long haul. They work their way into positions close to powerful Goa'uld: the system lords and those powerful enough to aspire to that rank. These Tok'Ra are the cornerstones of our network. They provide intelligence and essential warnings, they create opportunities for others to perform sabotage or short term infiltrations. Without them, we could not be nearly as effective as we are."

Daniel hesitated, perhaps waiting for Jack to make the obvious comment: he didn't see the Tok'Ra as particularly effective. Jack settled for letting Daniel see what he was thinking and stayed silent.

Daniel smiled slightly. "These operatives are also our last resort should the Tok'Ra face a deadly threat. An ace in the hole we can play only once."

Suddenly Jack saw what he was getting at. A Tok'Ra whom everyone believed was a Goa'uld, who was trusted by one of the system lords, must have access to the Goa'uld ships, weapons...perhaps everything. Hard on the heels of that, he understood the cost. They were talking about decades of work, risks Jack could barely imagine, that would all have to begin all over again. And in the meantime, how many Tok'Ra would this put in danger? If this was their key support system, how far would their work be set back?

Could they really ask the Tok'Ra to do this?

It was Teal'c who spoke. "Daniel Jackson, if your report concerning this new weapon is accurate, the Tok'Ra are indeed facing a deadly threat. If this battle is lost, there will not be another."

Jack could have hugged him. Teal'c had summarised the situation perfectly. They couldn't afford not to do this, whatever the cost. He glanced at the three Tok'Ra, aware that the SGA would owe them, big time, if they went with Jacob's plan. For the first time, he had no reservations about that. If they could destroy this weapon, it would be worth it.

Daniel nodded. "Entar and I agree with you, Teal'c. So, I think, do Jacob and Selmak." He looked to Garshaw hopfully.

It was a tense moment. Daniel was trying to keep the expectation out of his expression but Jack could see it clearly. All eyes around the table were focussed on the Tok'Ra woman. Garshaw was silent for a long time. Finally, she raised her eyes, meeting Teal'c's steady gaze. "As do I," she conceded.

Teal'c bowed his head slightly: half acknowledgement, half thanks.

Jack let out a breath he hadn't realised he was holding as Garshw turned to him. "General O'Neill, if the Tok'Ra supply the ships, can you supply the necessary crew?"

"How many people do you need? We're cut off from Earth until this crisis is past." Jack had always expected a great deal of the people under his command. Here at the SGA, he had the best the US military could offer. He knew what his people were capable of. Already, he was mentally making a list of those he could send on this mission. But numbers were limited and Jack could not leave the base inadequately defended, however important the mission.

Jacob answered him. "A mothership can run with a crew of three or four. But that's not enough for a job like this. What we need is enough people to man the death gliders, so we can simulate a Goa'uld attack."

_Then we have a problem._ "How many?" Jack repeated.

"At least ten per ship. Twenty would be better."

_Shit_. Jack shook his head. "I have maybe ten people total who I'd trust to fly a death glider into a combat situation." And that included Carter and Teal'c.

"If the gilash'ad are undefended as Entar believes," Teal'c said, "this will not require pilots of great proficiency."

Captain Wilson was nodding agreement. "Teal'c's right, General. I wouldn't want to get into a dogfight in a glider, but I can fly well enough to point and shoot. It takes a while to get used to the way gravity works, but anyone who can fly an F16 can handle a glider. A little."

Overconfidence like that kills pilots. "Captain, how many times have you flown a death glider? Solo."

Wilson looked a little less sure of himself. "Uh...once. Sorta."

"Sorta." Jack's voice was scathing. _Once, Captain, and you weren't flying solo, Carter was with you._ Carter had been wounded at the time, so perhaps Wilson had flown solo, technically. Even so, it didn't amount to extensive experience. "And you think that with no experience, no time for practice or drill, you can fly one of those things into a combat situation where you may or may not face resistance?"

Jack watched several emotions cross the captain's face, before Wilson looked up with something like defiance. "Yes, sir. That's what I think. I'm not saying I'd come back in one piece, but I think I can fly."

Jack was about to tell him exactly what he thought of that idea when Jacob interrupted. "If you can put experienced pilots on each team, it might work, Jack. To pull this off we're going to have to work to a very careful schedule. We can include time for your people to at least become familiar with the gliders."

"When you've already said that one of the labs is probably heavily defended..."

"Sure, but while we don't know _now_ which one that is, we will when we get there. For that one, we can use the weapons on the hat'ak, wipe the gilash'ad out from orbit and save the gliders for the clean up."

"What about those glider recall devices? It won't help to have a glider taking off of its own accord in the middle of battle."

"That's not a problem in this scenario, Jack." Daniel said quietly. "The recall devices activate if a death glider gets out of range of its mothership. That's a long range: it has to be, or the devices would make gliders useless."

"You're sure," Jack pressed.

"Yes," Daniel answered simply.

There was silence for a moment. Jack knew they had a long way to go, but is seemed they had the beginning of a workable plan.

Lieutenant Simmons had been silent throughout the discussion, watching everyone, taking everything in. Jack noticed him writing something on the pad in front of him, angling the paper so Carter could read it. He saw her trying to hide a grin.

"Something on your mind, Lieutenant?" Jack asked.

"Um...well...I do have one question, General."

"Shoot."

"If we do this... We're talking about stealing four motherships from the Goa'uld. So, when it's over, what happens to the ships? I mean, I guess we won't be handing them back."

Daniel laughed softly. "We're going to need a ship to relocate the Tok'Ra. It will be too dangerous to stay on Revanna if we do this. Beyond that, I think there's room for negotiation." He smiled at Jack. "What do you say, General? Got any use for a couple of Goa'uld motherships?"

Jack returned Daniel's grin. Before he could reply, though, Teal'c interrupted them.

"I also have a question, O'Neill." His expression was serious.

"Go ahead, Teal'c."

"What fate awaits the Jaffa who will be aboard the hat'ak you plan to steal?"

Jack's smile faded as the implications of that one sunk in. Everyone was silent, uncomfortably so.

Into the silence, Daniel said quietly, "I don't know." His eyes were on Teal'c as he spoke. Guilt filled his eyes.

_I don't know_ was an unacceptable answer. Jack knew it, and he could see that Daniel knew it, too. Even so, the harsh reality was that those Jaffa were disposable. They were enemy troops. Even Teal'c would acknowledge that. Daniel and Garshaw exchanged a glance and Jack knew this was going to be trouble.

He spoke up before anyone else could jump in. "Teal'c's point is well made. I know the threat we're facing. The situation is desperate and we'd all like to cut some corners to get this done. But on Earth wars are conducted under certain laws..."

"Jack, Anubis won't respect the Geneva convention..."

"I'm aware of that," Jack snapped back. "But I will. That means you need to come up with a good answer to Teal'c's question before we can move on."

* * *

"You read my mind," Daniel said with a grin as Teal'c handed him a steaming mug of coffee. Teal'c replied with his usual ghost of a smile. They were in the commissary; the last SG team remaining off-world had returned and General O'Neill told everyone to take a break while he and Kovecek took care of debriefing the team and bringing them up to speed on the current crisis. Daniel, for one, had been glad of the break. Teal'c suggested they visit the commissary, and Daniel seized the opportunity for a semi-private talk with his friend.

Teal'c sat down opposite Daniel. He took a sip from his own mug, saying nothing.

Daniel found the silence comfortable. Neither of them felt the need to fill the spaces in conversation. He could allow himself to relax for a while. Just drink his coffee.

The summit was going well, but there were so many uncertainties. At least some of the questions would have to be answered before Jack would be happy.

«_The general is right to be concerned. If we could be sure all four gilash'ad are as undefended as Alkar the scenario would be successful. But we cannot be sure. If we could be sure only one were well defended, if we could know which one, we could plan for it. But we cannot. If we go ahead with the scenario we have so far, it is likely we will be sending at least one team to their deaths. The general knows this_.»

«_I thought if we could just get the SGA and the Tok'Ra working together we'd find a way_.»

«_You did not trust the Tok'Ra to act alone?_»

«_It's not mistrust, Entar. It's_...»

«_General O'Neill_.» There were layers of implication in Entar's thought. «_He is a different man when I see him through your eyes, my friend, but I believe you give him too much credit_.»

«_Entar...you think I expected him to magically come up with the answers?_»

«_Did you not?_»

Daniel thought about it. «_Maybe I did_,» he admitted reluctantly. How many times had Jack done just that? From the first time, on Abydos, when Jack sent that bomb back to Ra's ship with only seconds to spare, to the Triad on Tollana when Jack's direct, uncomplicated arguments won Skaara's freedom, Jack's leadership had been a constant in every crisis Daniel knew. Jack would never earn a PhD, but in his own way he was smarter than Daniel, or Sam, or any of them. He had a way of seeing through the complications and shades of grey, a crystal clarity Daniel envied when it came to what really mattered to him.

When Daniel first joined SG-1, he and Jack rarely saw eye to eye on anything. It was frustrating as hell for Daniel; he had thought Jack blind to the things he, Daniel, found important. The incredible history out there, cultures frozen in time...an anthropologist's dream. It took him almost a year to recognise that what Daniel arrogantly termed Jack's short-sightedness was in fact a manifestation of the colonel's driving need to protect his team and his planet. Jack's constant impatience with Daniel's idealism came from fear: fear that Daniel's mixed-up priorities would put them in serious danger. A fear, Daniel eventually admitted to himself, that was entirely justified. No one but Jack could have turned Daniel aside from his idealistic course, but Jack managed it. He led by example.

No matter how bad things became — and SG-1 had found themselves in some bad situations — Daniel trusted Jack to get them out of it. And he always had.

«_As I said, you give him too much credit. Your own memories confirm that those solutions were not always his_.»

«_But he always led us there, Entar_.» Daniel didn't have to dig deep for examples: Jack insisting Janet experiment on him when they brought a disease back to the SGC: Janet found the answer, but she wouldn't have found it in time without Jack; Jack dragging Daniel to the gate when they fled Ernest's planet: Sam found a way to get the stargate working, but it was Jack who made sure all of them made it home; Jack convincing the Salish spirits to compromise with them; Jack holding the team together in Hadante prison...and more. So much more.

«_Very well_,» Entar responded, his thought oddly irritated. «_I believe you, my friend, but this time there is no magical solution. We need pilots experienced in flying death gliders. It appears we do not have them_.»

Teal'c's voice broke into Daniel's thoughts. "Daniel, we must speak of the Jaffa."

Daniel looked up into his friend's serious eyes. "I'm listening, Teal'c."

For a moment Teal'c was silent. Then he met Daniel's eyes. "The Tok'Ra appear to care little for their fate."

Daniel swallowed. Teal'c's simple statement encompassed a very complicated issue. He knew the Tok'Ra were working toward the same goal as Teal'c: to defeat the Goa'uld and to free the Jaffa from their dependency on Goa'uld symbiots. He also knew that many of the Tok'Ra would be glad to see the Jaffa die out. They were the soldiers of the enemy. Through his friendship with Teal'c, Daniel understood the Jaffa, and sympathised with Teal'c's cause. Entar's feelings were more ambivalent: he remembered atrocities ordered by Goa'uld, but carried out by Jaffa. Jaffa who served their Goa'uld masters willingly, even eagerly. Jaffa who enjoyed being instruments of terror for their false gods. Two thousand years of such history was not easily set aside.

But Daniel knew history was not what prompted Teal'c to speak. It was the present. "Garshaw?" he guessed.

"She will be happy to slaughter the Jaffa crew of the hat'ak you will acquire."

Daniel shook his head firmly. "Happy? No, Teal'c. She's willing, yes. Garshaw has always been willing to be ruthless, but she doesn't relish the necessity."

"Do _you_ believe it is necessary, Daniel Jackson?"

«_Oh, boy_...» "I believe it may be," he answered carefully. "If anyone is in a position to suggest a better way, it's you, Teal'c."

"You require individuals capable of flying death gliders into combat."

"Yes, we do."

"You require Jaffa."

Daniel misunderstood. "Most Jaffa are still loyal to the Goa'uld, Teal'c. They won't switch sides just because we ask."

«_Listen to him, my friend_.»

"Many Jaffa know the Goa'uld are false gods. They need only a call to answer. Some such Jaffa are gathered on a planet we call Cal Mah."

"The sanctuary," Daniel translated automatically.

"They were led in rebellion by a warrior called K'Tano," Teal'c went on. In a few short sentences he told Daniel the story: K'Tano, in reality a minor Goa'uld, gathered the rebel Jaffa to him, building an army. Perhaps in the beginning he intended their destruction but the power represented by such an army was hard for a Go'auld to resist. Teal'c learned K'Tano's true nature — how, he didn't make clear to Daniel — and challenged K'Tano for leadership of the rebellion. Daniel knew the _joma secu_ was a battle to the death, so he didn't need to ask who won. Teal'c was here; that was answer enough.

Why had Daniel not known about this before? He dismissed the question, suddenly grasping the implications of Teal'c's story. This could change everything! "Teal'c, why didn't you bring this up earlier? Can we rely on these Jaffa?"

For a moment Teal'c just looked at him. "These Jaffa are now free. They will not serve the Tok'Ra."

The words took Daniel's breath away. Two thousand years of history...he saw the Tok'Ra's side of it so clearly. He hadn't thought how it must look from the other side. For how many Jaffa deaths had the Tok'Ra been responsible over the years? How often did the Tok'Ra simply dismiss the Jaffa as the enemy? The enemy was the Goa'uld. The Jaffa were not the Goa'ulds' allies. They were slaves.

Daniel swallowed, meeting his friend's eyes. "I'm sorry, Teal'c. I truly am. I didn't mean to imply anything of the kind. I'm talking about an alliance. We can be equals." He felt Entar's scepticism at the suggestion. «_It's time the Tok'Ra learned to try_.» Daniel insisted.

Teal'c was silent.

"You already work with the Tau'ri, Teal'c. Work with us, too...if only for this one task."

For a long moment, Teal'c did not reply. Then, slowly, he bowed his head.

* * *

The afternoon session began somewhat chaotically, as Teal'c's offer changed a great deal of their initial plan. It transformed the tentative scenario they had already put together into a workable plan, but there was still a great deal to do.

Teal'c left for Cal Mah to secure the co-operation of the Jaffa who survived K'Tano's betrayal. Jack was not happy about Teal'c going out there alone, but he needed SG-1 at the table and there hadn't been time to argue. He promised to radio in within two hours with news; that had to be good enough for Jack.

There had been an unspoken question over who would command the proposed missions; the potential involvement of Teal'c's Jaffa allies resolved that question. The Tau'ri were essentially a neutral party between the Jaffa and the Tok'Ra. The leaders of all of the SG teams had experience of combat against the Goa'uld. Garshaw agreed to accept their right to command this mission as an intermediary both Tok'Ra and Jaffa could respect. It placed a great deal of pressure on his officers, but Jack was confident they could handle it.

It was coming together.

* * *

  


### Later

"Entar, I must admit I questioned your judgement in bringing me here," Garshaw said.

Entar nodded. He and Daniel both knew that. He risked the question: "And now?"

She smiled. "I still believe you should have brought this to the council first. However, the Tok'Ra alone could never accomplish so much. You are to be commended."

«_That's patronising_.»

«_No, my friend, that's Garshaw. Praise from her is rare_.»

"We haven't accomplished anything yet," Jacob interjected. "It's a little early to celebrate victory." They were in the conference room Jack had given to the Tok'Ra. It had been a long day, and for them, at least, it was not yet over. The essential framework of the operation was in place, and all the major angles had been covered. There was always the potential for something unforeseen to happen, but the plan was loose enough to allow each team to handle the unexpected. Now, the Tok'Ra had to plan beyond the victory — or failure. Daniel had a feeling Jack was doing exactly the same; after spending the day working for a common purpose this threw up a barrier between them again. Their future goals were not the same.

"True." Garshaw agreed. "If the operation succeeds, this should throw Anubis' plans into chaos."

«_And if we're lucky, the other system lords, too_.» Daniel added silently. The best case scenario, if the operation were successful, would end with Anubis blaming the system lords for the loss of his gilash'ad. If he reacted as they hoped, the resulting war could be an opportunity the Tok'Ra had awaited for centuries.

"We must take advantage of Anubis' defeat and place an operative in Anubis' inner circle," Garshaw added.

Daniel felt his stomach turn over even as Entar was nodding agreement. "Daniel and I are prepared," he told her. It wasn't a lie. They were prepared to do it. Daniel was just apprehensive.

"Do you believe that's wise, Entar?"

"I am recovered, physically, from Alkar. While I would prefer more time to prepare for a new mission, we do not have that luxury."

«_That's not what she meant, is it, Entar?_»

«_No. But it is a good place to begin_.» The mission to Alkar had been successful but it would be useless to pretend the mission didn't also go badly wrong. If the council had concerns about Entar's ability to take on another mission so soon, this was the time to address them.

Garshaw's expression said clearly that she wasn't fooled by Entar's deliberate misunderstanding. "Do you truly believe you are the best suited to this mission, Entar?"

And there was the question. So many different layers in a few short words.

Entar was spawn of Anubis' former queen. It gave him an advantage of knowledge in this situation, but it also created a significant disadvantage. A thousand years earlier, he would never have considered a mission that might take him near Nebhet. Goa'uld queens built loyalty to themselves into the symbiots they spawned. It was literally programmed into them, a genetic imperative that could not be bypassed or dismissed. Entar could work against the Goa'uld, but even after joining the Tok'Ra, he would not work directly against his queen.

But that was a thousand years ago, and Entar had no such ambivalence where Anubis was concerned. He was sure he could go against Anubis; more than that, he _wanted_ to do it.

«_Entar?_» Daniel knew Ren'al would have questioned Entar's suitability — she never entirely trusted those Tok'Ra who were former Goa'uld — but it was surprising coming from Garshaw.

Entar answered Garshaw carefully, "The same things that made me your choice for the mission to Alkar should make me the best choice now. I acknowledge there is some risk, but... Daniel kept my focus on the mission. He will do so again."

"Really," Jacob said. His tone was very neutral. "Entar, you know I trust your judgement, but I have to ask: did you _need_ help to retain focus?"

"Selmak..."

"It has to be said, Entar, for Daniel's sake if nothing else."

«_Daniel?_»

«_You know I trust you, Entar. Let me talk to them_.» Abruptly, Daniel found himself in control. "Entar didn't need my help, Jacob. He wanted to know whether Nebhet has also returned, but I was never aware of any influence she has over him."

"Any symbiot is subject to the queen that spawned him," Garshaw asserted.

Daniel nodded. "I understand that's true, but we found no evidence Nebhet lives. Do you really doubt Entar's loyalty? I don't."

"Daniel, I don't want you to underestimate the power she could have over him if she does still live."

Garshaw's concern seemed genuine and Daniel nodded. "I do understand." He smiled briefly. "You know, if Entar was just dismissing it, I _would_ be concerned. He's worried, Garshaw, and it's because he's worried that I'm not."

"Perfect Daniel logic," Jacob laughed.

"Thanks," Daniel said sarcastically.

"Daniel, if you have confidence in Entar, I trust that. You are certainly in the best position to know."

"Thank you."

Daniel handed control back to Entar in time to hear Garshaw add, "There are other reasons you should reconsider. Given Tanith's connection to Anubis, we must assume Anubis knows everything Tanith knew about the Tau'ri and the Tok'Ra."

«_Does that include the address of the SGA?_» Daniel asked suddenly.

«_No, my friend. Tanith knows the base exists, of course, but we never allowed him to know the location or address_.»

Entar said, "You mean my host may be recognised. It is possible, of course, but the same is true of any of us."

"He's right, Garshaw," Jacob agreed.

«_Entar...maybe there's a way we can use that to our advantage. I mean, Anubis will know everything Tanith knew. Everything_.»

Entar understood. "Garshaw, Daniel has an idea that may work."

* * *

  


### Two Days Later.

The last time he had been in Jack's office, Daniel hadn't paid much attention to the décor. The walls were the same uniform grey as the rest of the base. The carpet was almost the same shade as the walls. Beyond that, Daniel saw Jack in every part of the room. The leather couch tucked behind the office door was a touch of informality; Daniel found it easy to imagine a hundred conversations taking place there, rather than at the desk. The desk was compulsively neat, papers organised into trays, pens arranged in a holder, no clutter. But the blotter in the centre of the desk displayed a variety of doodles and beside a stone paperweight Daniel recognised stood a statuette of Homer Simpson: a cheap plastic thing that probably came out of a cereal box. There were no photographs. Behind the desk, the glass-fronted bookshelves were full: some official-looking volumes, files and folders stacked neatly but in no obvious order, and the inevitable collection of astronomy books. Jack's not-so-secret vice.

Daniel glanced at the clock. When Jack asked him to wait here, he hadn't expected to be kept waiting so long. He ran a hand through his hair nervously. He was wearing his long hair loose: he had taken the unusual step of ditching the BDUs and dressing as a Tok'Ra, something he rarely did even at the SGC. It might not suit Jack, but he and Entar decided it was important. Today's briefings would launch the mission: Daniel was attending as a Tok'Ra and he should look the part.

By the time Jack showed up, Daniel was pacing the width of the office.

"Sorry to keep you, Daniel," he began, then stopped, staring. "Daniel?"

"It's just a change of clothes, Jack."

"A bit...radical, dontcha think?"

"Not really." Daniel needed to shut that subject down. "Jack...I haven't seen Sam today."

Unexpectedly, Jack's expression went neutral, fast. "She and Simmons are on a mission."

Jack sent _half_ of SG-1 on a mission? _Now?_ When Jack had been so insistent about keeping all personnel on the base. Unable to hide his surprise, Daniel asked simply, "Today? Why?"

"Because," Jack said stiffly, "I'm a believer in 'what can go wrong, will go wrong'. If this mission goes to hell I want my people to have a little backup. Carter's arranging it."

«_What kind of backup?_» Entar demanded.

Daniel took a wild guess. "You sent her to the Asgard?"

"No."

«_Okay_...» "Jack, if you have allies I don't know about..."

"Not that kind of backup, Daniel. Just an escape route. I'm not going to tell you any more, so just drop it."

"_Ja, mein Fuhrer_."

The wisecrack earned him a sharp look that devolved into a familiar grin. "Let's go, Daniel. Time's a-wasting."

* * *

  


### Next Day.

Jack watched Daniel and Jacob unpack the equipment. Jacob's return to the SGA had been...less than timely, and Jack was impatient with the delay. All their teams, human and Jaffa, were ready, waiting for the Tok'Ra.

The second crate contained the Goa'uld long range visual communication devices. "This is why we're a little late, Jack. The LRVCD had to be modified for Daniel to use it. That took longer than I thought."

Careful co-ordination was essential to the operation. At first they had intended to use Asgard audio communicators that the Tok'Ra volunteered to supply. It was a secure communication system. The addition of Teal'c's Jaffa allies to the scenario prompted them to change that part of the plan. With the aid of the Jaffa, they could be more confident the enemy would believe they were being attacked by another Go'auld. That became the secondary goal of the operation. The Goa'uld long range visual communication system was not secure and for that reason the Tok'Ra avoided using it. On this occasion, however, if they were careful about what they said — and more importantly, who said it — their use of the system could only support the illusion that a Goa'uld was behind the strike.

"Modified how?" Daniel asked. He sounded worried, which was not reassuring.

"To transmit an image other than your own. If you're going after Anubis when we're done, you don't want your face linked to this mission."

"No kidding," Daniel answered with a grin.

It was the first Jack had heard of any of this. "If you're _what_?" he said.

"You didn't tell him?" Jacob sounded surprised.

Daniel looked at Jacob, not at Jack. "It's Tok'Ra business."

Jack got the message loud and clear.

Only then did Daniel look at Jack. "Whether we succeed or fail on this mission, we're about to give Anubis a real headache. The Tok'Ra plan to take advantage of that by getting someone into his inner circle."

"And that someone has to be you?"

"Why not me?"

_Oh, let me count the ways_... "Your last undercover mission wasn't exactly a resounding success."

"It was a big success, Jack, especially if you take into account I was missing vital intelligence."

"You nearly died, Daniel."

"Not because I failed my mission. This isn't your decision, Jack. It's my job, and I'm going to do it." Daniel hesitated, then, in a very different voice, added, "I just hope I'll get a chance to see Janet before I leave." Before Jack could respond to that, Daniel lifted one of the smaller communication balls out of the crate. "Why eight?"

Jacob answered, "Backup. One for the Tok'Ra, one for each SG team leader."

Jack appreciated the gesture. "Thanks."

"Your people will have to be very careful, Jack," Jacob warned. "We don't know that our comms will be intercepted, but we know can happen. A human voice on this frequency could blow the whole thing. Last resort only."

"Understood." Jack nodded curtly. He had his own plans of last resort in place. They shouldn't need to use Jacob's. He signalled to Kovacek. It was time to go.

* * *

  


### Three Hours Later

"Major..."

The nerves evident in Simmons' voice made Sam grip her P-90 a little tighter as she moved, following the Lieutentant's gaze upward. The mission had gone smoothly so far. She had a team of twelve, including her dad: SG-1, SG-4 and four of Teal'c's Jaffa. Warned by both Teal'c and Daniel, Sam anticipated conflicts between her dad and the Jaffa, but — thanks to Teal'c's presence, she believed — they never materialised. It was her dad who suggested Teal'c should be her XO for this mission, neatly resolving the chain-of-command issue. While Sam was not by nature a pessimist, they were about due for something to go wrong.

In her mind she reviewed the mission briefing again.

_Your first destination is P34-353. Once you get through the gate, you'll be met by a Tok'Ra. One team at a time, you'll be taken aboard one of their cargo ships. The ship will transport you to a location several days journey from the stargate. That's where you will rendezvous with a Goa'uld mothership._

"It's alright, Lieutenant. The ship is expected."

Jacob's calm voice helped Sam, as well as Simmons. It was one thing to know they were supposed to rendezvous with a ship. It was quite another to stand calmly and watch a hat'ak descend on their position. Those ships were designed to inspire terror and they achieved that purpose very well.

_Each ship will be under the command of a Tok'Ra, but the crew will be Jaffa. The Tok'Ra know you are going to crew the ships and should have taken appropriate measures, but it's likely you'll have to fight to get control of the ship. Be prepared for that._

The descending ship generated quite a wind. Sam raised a hand to shield her eyes.

"That's one big mother f— "

"_Ship_, Captain," Sam snapped, interrupting Wilson quickly. She looked his way and they shared a grin.

Her dad glanced back at them, flashing a quick smile of his own. "We need to stand closer together. Saddik will bring us aboard before the hat'ak lands."

_When you have control of the ship, leave the Jaffa crew behind on the planet. Bra'tac and a group of the rebel Jaffa will take care of them when you're gone. They're not your problem. _

_You will then fly the mothership to the location you have been assigned. Call in when you're underway, not before. The comms are to be handled by the Tok'Ra and only the Tok'Ra. _

_We believe three out of four targets will have minimal defences. The fourth may be heavily fortified, and we don't know which is which. We have determined that two of the targets are more likely than the others to be the key installation; those two locations have been assigned to the teams most experienced in this type of combat, Colonel Kovacek's team, and Major Carter's._

_Because we cannot predict exactly what you will find when you reach your assigned target, no strategy has been prepared in advance. Each team will formulate a plan of attack on site, based on the conditions you find when you get there. The Tok'Ra and the Jaffa will be able give strategic advice to team leaders. Pay attention to them: they have valuable experience. When you are ready to attack, and only when you are ready make contact with the SGA. Don't call in before you are prepared. You might be the last to make contact, and if you are, the attack order will follow immediately. Once the attack order is given, you'll stay under radio silence unless absolutely necessary._

Sam gave the necessary orders and the mismatched group crowded together. The hat'ak was close enough to block out the sun, throwing a dark shadow across all of them. The noise from the hat'ak was deafening, and Sam had to shout her last order. "Weapons ready! Return fire if you have to but do not, repeat, do not start a firefight without my order."

There was no time for anyone to acknowledge. Sam closed her eyes instinctively against the flash as transport rings came down around them all. Even through her eyelids it was dazzling. The brief chill of rematerialisation let her know she could open her eyes again.

Sam was facing a wall. She had a moment to notice the familiar hieroglyphics covering the copper-golden panelling. She got a firm grip on her P-90 and turned around.

They were alone in the ring-chamber. That might be a good sign, but the room had three exits and all of them were closed. Bad sign?

"Cover the doors," she ordered quickly. Glancing around the room, she confirmed everyone was there and was pleased to see how smoothly they followed her order: two Jaffa covered the door closest to them, Wilson and Simmons had another, West and Reynolds of SG-4 took the third. Everyone else formed a rough circle, weapons ready. Sam glanced at her dad, not quite sure what to expect next. Should they head for the pel'tac or wait here for contact? She was just about to ask when a door opened.

Sam whirled to face the door, weapon raised. She had an instant to take in the lone figure, a split second in which all her instinct screamed _danger!_ and she found herself beginning to pull the trigger. It took a huge effort to resist the impulse to fire.

The man was tall, easily Teal'c's height, perhaps taller. He wore a full length robe, wide at the shoulders with a sash of blue and silver brocade. The sleeves of the robe were three-quarter length, giving them all a clear view of the ribbon device covering his right hand and wrist. Sam looked into his face, but found no reassurance there. His eyes glittered below heavy brows, the lines on his face suggesting a perpetual frown. His mouth was set in a grim line, almost hidden by a thick beard.

Sam felt her blood run cold. She held the P-90 steady, her body automatically braced for recoil. All around her, men and Jaffa followed her lead or their own identical instincts.

She didn't dare look at her dad. There was no reason, no logic behind her conviction, but she knew one thing with absolute certainty: this man was no Tok'Ra.

Which meant everything had gone terribly wrong.


	25. Preparation For War

No one moved. For a full three seconds, everything was absolutely still, the only sound the distant hum of the hat'ak's engines. Sam was holding her P-90 so tightly her fingers began to cramp. Later, when she remembered that moment, she thought if someone had dropped something, or even moved unexpectedly, she would have screamed. Three seconds is a long time in a tense atmosphere.

The silence was broken by Selmak. "There is no need for concern, Samantha." Selmak stepped forward, deliberately placing himself in her line of fire. He spoke, this time in Goa'uld.

No need for concern. Easy for Selmak to say. Sam wanted to trust him, she did trust him, but her skin was still crawling. It wasn't just the sense of a symbiot: she was used to that, and sensing the presence of a symbiot didn't automatically mean danger to her, with her dad, Teal'c and Daniel as friends. But something — no, everything — about Saddik (if this was Saddik) screamed Goa'uld.

Saddik answered Selmak in the same language. Sam waited tensely. She knew Selmak had offered a Tok'Ra recognition code, but didn't know if the other had answered correctly. Sam met Teal'c's eyes across the room and he nodded imperceptibly, prepared to fire on her signal. Teal'c had a clear shot.

"Dad?" Sam prompted.

"Stand down, Major," Selmak said.

Sam lowered her gun, but did not repeat the order.

The Goa'uld or Tok'Ra moved forward into the ring chamber. Meeting Sam's eyes he said, "I am Saddik of the Tok'Ra."

"Major Sam Carter, SGA."

She saw him react to her name, just the barest hint of surprise. He inclined his head toward her. "The daughter of Selmak's host."

"That's right."

"Welcome aboard."

Sam nodded. The tension was getting a little ridiculous. "Stand down," she ordered. She waited while her order was obeyed, swiftly by the SGA personnel, a shade more slowly by the Jaffa. She kept her eyes on Saddik, moving to one side so her dad no longer stood between them. "What's the status of your crew?" she asked.

Saddik looked at her dad.

Selmak answered the unspoken question firmly. "Major Carter is in command, Saddik. The High Council has agreed to this."

Saddik's lip curled in contempt. "The Tok'Ra have truly changed if you willingly submit to a human's orders," he commented. Then he turned to Sam. "As instructed I commandeered the ship with a minimal crew. Six Jaffa are imprisoned in a chamber below the peltac."

"That's your entire crew?" Selmak pressed.

"It is."

Sam turned to Teal'c quickly. "It's probably best if you deal with them, Teal'c."

"Indeed."

"Just get them off the ship. Don't waste time with anything else. Bra'tac will do the rest." Bra'tac and a group of Jaffa from the rebellion would take custody of the captured Jaffa after the hat'ak had left the planet. The idea was to give the Jaffa a chance to join the rebellion. No one had asked what would happen to them if they remained loyal to their false gods. Sam was trying not to think about it.

Teal'c nodded, signalling to the other Jaffa on their team. "Understood, Major. We will join you at the peltac shortly."

* * *

  


### Four Hours Later

"How is the training going, Teal'c?"

As there was only one real chair on the peltac — and that a Goa'uld "throne" — Sam was sitting on the steps that led up to the dias. The first time she sat in the throne, the feeling of deja-vu was overwhelming. Of course, Jolinar had commanded motherships many times. Sam was no longer fighting Jolinar's memories. She had seen the worst Jolinar's memories contained. In that long night of talk with her father, Sam learned that she could handle it. But when she didn't resist the memories they became stronger. There were advantages to that: greater clarity, more direct access to the knowledge Jolinar left in her, but it was worrying, too. It was going to take some time for Sam to find a comfortable compromise. In the meantime, it seemed sensible to avoid things that could trigger uncomfortable memories.

Teal'c was sitting on the throne, which forced Sam to look up at him. He reported that all of the SG team members were progressing well.

Sam stood to avoid a pain in her neck. "Come on, Teal'c, everyone?" Flying a death glider wasn't exactly complicated, but it would be a miracle if everyone on their team learned that quickly.

Teal'c half-smiled. "Each individual appears to grasp the uses of the controls and weapons. At present few are confident they can fly, but tomorrow will prove them wrong. Captain Wilson is overconfident. Tomorrow will also prove him wrong."

Tomorrow they were scheduled to reach Midyar, a once-inhabited planet that had been destroyed by the Goa'uld several centuries before. Midyar would provide them with an opportunity to drill everyone with the gliders. They needed to make sure everyone could fly competently, and equally important they needed to learn to fly as a team. There was a lot of work to do in a very short time: for many of them, this would be their first time in a death glider.

Not for Captain Wilson, though. He certainly didn't qualify as "experienced" but he was familiar with the craft. Teal'c's criticism of him was worrying: Wilson's overconfidence frequently turned out to be justified, but on this occasion they couldn't afford mistakes. Sam would have to pull him off the mission if Teal'c thought he couldn't cut it.

"Prove him wrong?" she repeated, smiling. "What are you going to do to him?"

"Merely illustrate he is not as proficient as he believes," Teal'c answered firmly.

Sam's smile became a grin. "If you can teach Gene a little caution we'll all be grateful. Just keep him in one piece, Teal'c. We might need him on our next mission."

Teal'c nodded gravely.

"Sam." Her dad's voice interrupted. "It's going to be at least eight hours before we reach Midyar, and you're not on watch. You should get some sleep while you can. Tomorrow could be a very long day."

Sam knew he was right. "What about you and Saddik?" she asked. It was true she had assigned the watch to Teal'c, but she had planned to stay in command up here.

Jacob shrugged. "I doubt we'll be sleeping. I have a lot to tell him in a short time. Saddik's been away from the Tok'Ra for over thirty years."

Wow. Sam's eyes widened. "That long?"

"It could have been another ten if this mission hadn't come up." He glanced around to where Saddik was watching the hyperspace navigation. "You don't like him, do you?"

She didn't, but hearing her dad put the question so bluntly made Sam uncomfortable. She avoided his eyes when she answered, "He just doesn't seem...well, Tok'Ra." She looked at Saddik. "I mean, I know he is, but..."

"It would be surprising if he did, Sam. It takes a while to shake off a role when you've been playing it as long as he has."

That made sense. Sam hesitated a moment longer, but the truth was her instincts had been wrong before, and she trusted her dad's judgement. She knew that if there were any doubts in his mind or in Selmak's, he would have told her.

In the room that Sam had designated quarters for SG-1, Sam started to take off her boots and Teal'c sat down opposite her. He wasn't saying anything, but that was Teal'c. Sam hid a smile.

"Teal'c, I know Jaffa don't need as much rest as we do. Can you and Raknor arrange a continuous watch on the peltac?"

"We can," he confirmed. "Major Carter, do you distrust Selmak?"

"Of course I don't!"

"Selmak has stated Saddik is trustworthy."

"I know. I'm sure he's right."

"You are not."

Despite herself, Sam smiled. "I'm trying to convince myself, I suppose. Dad's right, I guess...no, I'm sure he's right. But the Tok'Ra have kept things from us before, and I don't want to take any chances on this mission."

* * *

"It's bold, I'll give you that." Saddik said, breaking a long silence.

Selmak's hands moved rapidly over the controls as he spoke. "You don't think it will work, do you?"

"It seems a desperate strategy."

Teal'c, observing the two Tok'Ra from the other console, heard Selmak sigh heavily. "We are desperate, old friend. Did you think otherwise? Surely you recall what Anubis is capable of."

After a brief hesitation, Saddik agreed. "I do. Ironic though it is, Ra saved the Tok'Ra when he banished Anubis."

Teal'c looked ahead, watching the strange play of light as the hat'ak moved through hyperspace. It was a familiar sight, uninteresting to him, but feigning a fascination with the view allowed him to concentrate on the conversation continuing behind him. They talked as if he couldn't hear them, just as the Goa'uld always talked in front of their Jaffa. Or...perhaps that was unfair. Selmak, certainly, was aware of Teal'c's presence. Perhaps he trusted Teal'c enough to speak freely in front of him.

"How did the council learn of this weapon?" Saddik asked.

"Ren'al sacrificed her life to inform us of Anubis' return," Selmak answered. He went on to describe Entar's mission and Teal'c, listening, learned how much Daniel had concealed from his friends.

* * *

  


### Next Day

This was not the first time Sam had been in a death glider. Her first time was when she, along with Teal'c, Bra'tac and Colonel O'Neill, escaped Apophis' doomed ship, orbiting the Earth. It was barely a year after she first took up her assignment at the SGC, and on that day Colonel O'Neill piloted their glider. Two years after that, on one of the few missions where Colonel Makepeace commanded SG-1, the team had become trapped on a planet under Goa'uld attack. In what had been a desperate move to save the rest of the team, Sam appropriated a glider. Looking back, she suspected her reckless flight had been prompted by Jolinar's memories. At the time, she had been thinking what would Teal'c do? Certainly, without the benefit of Jolinar's knowledge, Sam would never have figured out how to fly the glider.

Then there was the X-301. Sam was not pleased when she was passed over as a pilot for the test flight; O'Neill insisted her expertise was needed on the ground. In the event, his stubbornness saved her life, but still, she'd badly wanted to fly the '301. Now she was holding out for the X-302...

Following the X-301 disaster, Sam had been in a glider just one more time. SG-1 were taken prisoner by a group of Yu's Jaffa. Trapped aboard a mothership in space, they nonetheless escaped their cell and having no other option, made for the glider bay. Sam was wounded by a staff weapon as they made their escape: a glancing blow, but she'd lost consciousness briefly. Remembering, Sam touched her side unconsciously: the wound remained, a recent scar to remind her. She owed Wilson her life: he carried her to a glider and got them out of there. She'd been well enough to watch his flying and give instructions, but unable to pilot herself. Wilson hadn't done badly at all.

But his arrogance at the conference table showed Sam that Gene's personal brand of pride had latched on to that incident, and not in a healthy way. Teal'c's plan to teach Wilson his limitations was undoubtedly a good idea, but she was concerned about Teal'c's methods. Jaffa training methods were considerably harsher than the US Air Force.

Sam climbed into her glider. Her dad had advised her to relax and pilot by instinct: trust her memories. He said Jolinar was a hot pilot and, if Sam could accept it, that knowledge and experience would guide her. She had told her dad she wasn't sure she could accept it. But as she settled herself in the pilot seat, she realised he was right. The glider controls were more familiar to her than ever, the seat just felt right. She was smiling as she lifted her communicator, sliding the unit over her ear. "Teal'c, report."

"I am ready to proceed, Major Carter."

"Good. Dad?"

"Opening glider bay doors now."

Today was just a training flight. The hat'ak was in orbit above Midyar. The primary purpose of this exercise was to make sure everyone could fly well enough to carry out their mission. They had to be able to fly as a team, manoeuvre, fire weapons with reasonable accuracy and be prepared for the unexpected. The exercise would take the form of a mock-hunt: Teal'c would be the "fox" for SG-1. Raknor was performing the same function for SG-4. Her dad and Saddik were monitoring from the peltac; the rest of Teal'c's Jaffa would follow both teams in the air, in case anyone got into trouble. Weapons were set to minimum power, enabling them to fire without risking serious harm to each other. If there were any problems, this should expose them.

Sam took a deep breath. "Whenever you're ready, Teal'c."

Teal'c's glider moved out of the bay slowly. Sam watched him pick up speed as he zoomed out into space. She focussed on her own controls.

_Jolinar, I'm scared. _

Sam shook her head, refusing to remember Jolinar's battle. Relax, let instinct be her guide. She launched.

The death glider responded to her lightest touch. It was like riding her Harley, topping 120 on a desert highway. Oh, yeah... Sam felt a huge grin spreading across her face. She'd always been a bit of a speed-freak — jets, motorcycles, whatever — and even keeping the seriousness of their mission in mind, this was a chance for her to let go and enjoy it. She had no idea how fast she was going as she zoomed into the atmosphere, diving straight down. The barren continent below expanded rapidly in her sight, filling the window. When she could see the details of the ground below her — desolate, red-tinged rock, some scrub but not a tree in sight — she checked her speed a little and levelled off at a thousand feet. The adrenaline rush was incredible. Only knowing her dad was listening in stopped her shouting her excitement aloud.

She slowed a little more, checking her instruments to locate the rest of her team. A glider took position beside her, matching her speed. Sam glanced over and saw Simmons raise a hand to her in a gesture that was half salute, half wave.

"How're you doing, Simmons?" she asked, conscious of his inexperience.

His voice came over the comm clearly. "Flying smooth, Major. I haven't tried the weapons yet."

"Let's find you something to shoot at." A shadow fell across her as Wilson caught up, flying above her. "Wilson, fall back or come alongside. You're too close. Stay in formation."

"Sorry, Major." He obeyed, falling back a little, but he didn't sound sorry. He sounded excited. Sam couldn't blame him for that.

"Any sign of Teal'c?" Sam asked them. She was checking her readouts as she spoke. There was an energy signature at nine o'clock. Teal'c? It had to be. This planet was supposed to be dead. She waited for one of her teammates to spot it.

"Not yet, Major," Wilson reported, then, "I've got something! Nine o'clock."

"Let's go." She led them off, flying low. At 500 feet the ground below them was a blur, but the instruments showed a rocky landscape pocked with jagged-edged craters. It looked like the result of asteroid bombardment.

Then she saw the city ahead.

Even from a distance, it was clear the city was long-abandoned. Shattered towers bore silent witness of an advanced civilisation destroyed. The once-verdant land was now a barren desert, the planet no longer capable of sustaining complex life. Sam saw tall buildings dominating the skyline, a bridge still standing over a now-dry river and a line of archways leading to — of course — a stargate. Beyond the gate there were no buildings, just sand and more rock, but with a different character. She realised abruptly that this city had been on the coast, once. Jesus. What happened here? Could a Goa'uld attack have done all this?

Teal'c's glider was on her instruments but she had no visual contact as yet. Sam understood why Teal'c had chosen this place: the ruins of the city would make the game a real challenge. "Let's fan out," she suggested, preparing to ascend. "And...Captain?"

"Yes, Major?"

"Try to remember that it's Teal'c out there. Don't get carried away."

"Don't worry, Major. He still owes me fifty from last week's poker game."

Sam snorted with laughter. Teal'c playing poker? Not likely, and it was even less likely he would lose if he did play. She was never quite certain when Wilson was joking. She turned her glider into a steep ascent and the chase began.

Sam led the way until they spotted Teal'c. Gliders are not built for stealth, so finding him was the easy part. Catching him was a whole 'nother ball game. Sam knew Teal'c was a good pilot — hell, he had more years of experience flying death gliders than she had years of life. His evasive flying was incredible: no sooner did she see him than he was gone again. Only her instruments could track him. Teal'c had stressed that in his glider-lesson, she remembered: that the sensors aboard the glider would be more useful than the naked eye. Jaffa were used to that...as was she, to an extent, but not when she had a clear view like this. It was a hard habit to break. Sam pretended the glass wasn't there, stopped using her eyes and relied solely on the readouts.

Once she did, flying became instinctive. After a while, satisfied with her own performance, Sam told Wilson to take over the lead. She hung back to watch. Teal'c led Wilson quite a dance through the ruined city, but Wilson kept up with him. Sam began to wonder if Teal'c hadn't underestimated the captain. "Damn, he can fly," she whispered, watching them loop a near-intact tower.

Teal'c put on a burst of speed, leaving the city and streaking out over the dry sea-bed. He began to climb, Wilson close on his tail. Sam and Simmons followed, some distance behind them. Teal'c flew out over the ocean, levelling off at around 20,000 feet. The ocean was the deep blue of the Pacific, and Sam's instruments showed its depth was comparable. She read as little life in the sea as there was on land. Teal'c's glider spun into a sudden loop and the next moment he was diving, straight down, like a falcon stooping toward its prey. Wilson followed, spiralling after him.

Sam bit back a warning. She trusted Teal'c knew what he was doing.

At the last possible moment, Teal'c pulled out of his dive. The tip of his wing cut the water and then he was level, speeding just above the surface.

Wilson was not so graceful. He tried to pull up, but he had left it too late. His glider made a huge splash as he hit the water.

Over the comm, Sam heard Simmons call out. "Gene!" He sounded close to panic.

"Relax, Lieutenant," Sam said, trying to sound more confident than she was. "These gliders are built for space. A little water won't hurt."

Then Teal'c's voice, reassuring them both. "Captain Wilson, can you hear me?"

A heartbeat, and Wilson answered, "I hear you, Teal'c. My engine is shut down."

"I will instruct you, Captain Wilson. Major Carter, you and Lieutenant Simmons should return to the hat'ak."

Sam hesitated. Wilson was her responsibility. But she understood that Teal'c was giving Wilson the illusion of privacy. He intended to teach, not to humiliate. "Acknowledged," she said. "Lieutenant, let's go."

* * *

The glider was sinking slowly. The light around him was all blue, rippling and uneven. And it was getting darker. Wilson wasn't panicking. No, he wasn't going to panic. Definitely not. But his engines were dead, there was water all around him and he was already too deep to eject and swim for it. Where the fuck was Teal'c? The glittering surface above him was getting further away.

"Teal'c!" he called.

"Captain Wilson, the engines disengaged when you impacted the water. It is a safety feature."

"I don't feel safe!"

"Remain calm, Captain, and follow my instructions."

Wilson took a deep breath. At least his air was still good. "Okay. What do I do?"

"You must turn the glider toward the surface. A small angle, not pointing straight up."

"I already tried that. I don't have engines."

"You cannot accelerate, but the attitude control will respond, Captain."

He grasped the red jewel that served as a stick and gently changed his angle. It was a relief when the glider responded. He changed the attitude as instructed, stopping at about forty five degrees. He was still sinking.

"Good," Teal'c's voice was clear over the comm. "Now you must shut down the engines."

What the hell was he taking about? "Teal'c, I told you, it's already..."

"Your controls are set to flight."

"Oh." _Stupid me._ It was like leaving the ignition on in a car. When the engine stalled you couldn't restart until you'd turned it off. He shut down the controls.

"Restart the engine, and proceed at one quarter speed."

Wilson obeyed, relieved beyond words when the engine engaged. He didn't fully relax until he cleared the surface, bursting out into the sunlight. Teal'c's glider drew alongside his, and he looked over, offering a salute. "Thanks, T."

"You flew well, Captain Wilson," Teal'c said. "Now, as we return, tell me what you did wrong."

"I didn't pull out of the dive fast enough." Wilson admitted. "And I tried to turn 180 degrees without changing attitude. That's not what you did." Panic over, Wilson was beginning to bounce back. He didn't think he'd done too badly. He'd stayed with Teal'c all the way, and it had been a wild ride.

"True," Teal'c agreed, "but your mistake was before that. Tell me what you did wrong."

What mistake? He'd stuck with Teal'c no matter what he did... Wilson shrugged. "You tell me, Teal'c. I thought I did okay."

"We are flying death gliders, Captain, not racing cars. Were I the enemy I could have destroyed you easily. You must pursue from a distance, using instruments. To fly as close as you did is to invite death."

They were very high now, almost to the upper atmosphere. Wilson glanced over at Teal'c. Shit. He was right. Frighteningly right. Wilson felt his stomach turn over as he realised how wrong he had been. Staying close to Teal'c had been a challenge, but he was stupid to have taken it up. Staying close meant staying within weapons range.

He was silent all the way back to their ship.

* * *

Sam was cleaning her P-90. It didn't need cleaning, but it was something to do. A familiar, calming exercise. She looked around the peltac as she worked. Teal'c stood at the weapons console, another of the Jaffa beside him. Her dad was at navigation, though they were still in hyperspace, so there was little for him to do.

Saddik came to sit beside Sam, watching as she reassembled the gun. "A most interesting weapon, Major Carter. Primitive, but — "

" — Very effective," she finished for him. She shoved the clip into place, turning to face Saddik. "You already know that, if you're familiar with what we've been doing for the past few years."

"Indeed," he agreed, the word accompanied by a very Teal'c-like nod.

Sam couldn't help smiling at the comparison. "It's a weakness to assume less advanced tools are less useful. We are strong enough to threaten the Goa'uld."

Saddik was silent for a moment, his expression solemn. "Perhaps so, Major. Nevertheless, without the protection of the Asgard, your planet would have been destroyed by the System Lords several years ago. The Goa'uld see you as weak, still."

"That arrogance is their weakness," Sam answered. _And yours_, she thought, but didn't say it.

"Sam," he dad called. "We're almost there."

She stood quickly, joining her dad at the navigation console. This was potentially the most dangerous part of the mission. They had to come out of hyperspace as close as possible to the target planet, scan the planet for the base, and back off to a safe distance before anyone on the ground knew they were there. If the base was guarded by ships, that would be impossible. Even if it wasn't, this would take, as her dad put it, some pretty fancy flying.

"How long?" Sam asked.

"Nervous?"

"Oh, boy, yes."

Her dad laughed, and Sam could hear that he was apprehensive, too. It made her feel a little better. "Ninety seconds," he reported. "Teal'c, are you ready?"

"I am," Teal'c answered.

Sam lifted her radio. "All teams report to the peltac. We're coming up on our target."

She felt Saddik standing beside her and glanced at him, wondering if he was nervous, too. She didn't know him well enough to ask. They had a good team, a good plan and the advantage of surprise. They were as prepared as they could be. All that was left was to "go for it".

The next few hours would decide everything.


	26. Building Bridges

Daniel saw the communication ball flare to life and hit the phone quickly. This had to be SG-1. They were the last team to call in — which was expected, but the call was a long time overdue. Jacob's face appeared on the LRVCD and Daniel felt his tension ease. He relaxed and let Entar take over.

"Phoenix One in position," Selmak reported.

"You're late," Entar commented, using the same Goa'uld dialect Selmak had chosen.

"We had to change our plans a little. There's a lot of firepower down there."

"You're ready?"

"Awaiting your orders."

"Standby." Entar shut off the device as General O'Neill appeared in the doorway. "SG-1 reports they are in position and prepared to attack, General. They are the last team."

"Give the order," Jack said. He took a seat, waiting.

Entar turned back to the communication device, setting the controls to transmit to all of their ships. The panel beneath the sphere told him when the channel was established, and he spoke quickly, the code phrase that meant _attack_. Then he closed his eyes, giving control of their body back to Daniel.

Daniel shut off the LRVCD. It would be at least twenty four hours before any of the teams contacted them again. Not even in dire emergency would any team break the radio silence: to do so would risk leading the Goa'uld back to the SGA. Allowing eight to twelve hours for the attacks, if all went well the first ships should be back in less than two days. They would communicate when they entered this system, not before. Two days...with nothing left to do but wait and hope.

Well, not quite _nothing_, Daniel realised, looking up to meet Jack's eyes. "It's up to them, now," he said.

"Yeah," Jack answered. He met Daniel's look briefly and looked away.

Daniel stifled a yawn; he was more tired than he wanted to admit. He hadn't slept much since the mission launched; being the only one who could handle the comms, he hadn't dared to sleep. Entar could keep him going without sleep longer than most humans, but he still got tired.

Daniel gazed across the table to a Jack O'Neill who still felt like a stranger — familiar, but a stranger nonetheless — a Jack O'Neill who was flooding the room with a gamut of emotions, which wasn't like Jack at all. Daniel had always dealt with Jack's emotions on a level only his friends even knew existed, but this was more than he was used to. He knew why it was happening: Jack was trying too hard and even after all the time they had spent apart, just the idea that their friendship was going to take some effort felt weird to Daniel. Sam's description of Jack's reaction when Daniel was reported dead was enough — more than enough — for Daniel to realise Jack regretted the way he had treated Daniel when...

«_Both of us_,» Entar interrupted Daniel's thoughts. He had been doing that all day: making his presence felt in small ways every time Daniel started thinking about Jack. If he hadn't known better, Daniel might have thought his symbiot was jealous of Jack. But if it were jealousy, Daniel would feel it, too.

«_Yes, Entar, both of us_,» Daniel answered carefully. «_Jack has some prejudice to overcome but he's working on it. You know that_.» Entar sent nothing further, leaving Daniel to look for a way to open up this new dialogue. No, it wasn't jealousy Entar was feeling. The symbiot just had a low opinion of O'Neill...and Daniel couldn't blame him for that.

A whole day of waiting for the next shoe to fall. They had twenty four hours or more of radio silence in which to do all the necessary catching up and bridge-building. Daniel was just lost for a place to start. Damned if he was going to get this particular ball rolling with a request for base gossip. It was a way to break the ice, sure, but Daniel sensed that this time breaking ice wouldn't be good enough. So...begin at the beginning, apply good scientific practice to establish a starting point: how did Jack look, apart from a little nervous, a little vulnerable?

Well, there was the promotion for one thing. Brigadier General — and the daily semi-official attire of a base commander, which Daniel never had time or cause to come to grips with until now. The uniform presented a more formal Jack than the colonel who once led SG-1. It was a visual reminder of the man he'd met in the first alternate reality he visited, a General O'Neill facing hopeless odds but still fighting...a man militarily unimaginative almost down to the cellular level. Yet he had given up their last, oh-so-slim chance to help Daniel save his own world.

This Jack wasn't the same man by any means. Nor was he the same Colonel O'Neill Daniel was accustomed to. In the short time Daniel had been at the SGA he had observed how much Jack's relationships with others had changed: the easy banter between Jack and Teal'c was gone, Sam seemed more relaxed around Jack now she had her own command, yet Jack was if anything more isolated.

_Lifting the dying Sha're in his arms, Daniel moved into the circle of the transport rings. A last, almost suicidal attempt to save her._

_"Jackson, what are you doing?"_

_Meeting Jack's eyes through the descending rings. "Wait for me." Daniel's eyes begging Jack to understand that he had to do this, had to try. That he understood if Jack couldn't wait. He trusted Jack to do the right thing, and if that meant he would die with Sha're, at least he would know he had tried. _

Yes, that was the beginning, Daniel realised. The beginning of the friendship he needed to rebuild. Perhaps that was the way to go: to figure out who Jack was, now, he needed to review who he had been. The man he first met, for instance, back at Cheyenne Mountain: a man whose presence the other civilians on the stargate project resented. The Colonel's abrasive attitude encouraged that resentment, and Daniel shared it to an extent, yet even then he had sensed that this was a man willing to risk everything. Someone who — like Daniel, at the time — had hit rock bottom and had nothing left to lose. Of course, he wouldn't have drawn the comparison so easily had he known Jack's reasons.

Looking back on those two weeks now, Daniel knew his initial assessment of Jack had been way off target. _Willing to risk?_ Oh, that was true enough, but far more true was Jack had been a time bomb waiting to explode, an emotional mess who was looking only for a way to cure the pain — permanently. The opportunity to suicide "legitimately" was the only thing that could have dragged O'Neill away from that small room and the gun which had transformed it into a tomb. From death to life: Jack's journey on Abydos had been a painful one.

For the first time in far too long, Daniel remembered a question he had always wanted to ask Jack, but never found the right moment. This time was, of course, perfect. "Jack?"

Jack looked up from where he was fiddling with a couple of paper clips. (How many things can you do with two paper clips that aren't about holding papers together? Jack seemed to be on six...) He gave a quick smile.

Jack was still trying too hard. Time to put a stop to that.

"What did you think when you first laid eyes on me?"

Jack seemed about to roll his eyes at what he probably considered an overly sappy question, then stopped himself. He glanced down at the table. Looked back to Daniel. "I was happy to see you'd managed to get back from...well, wherever."

For a moment Jack's words made no sense, then Daniel realised his mistake. "No, I meant when I was first brought on to the stargate project. Thanks for that, by the way."

"Wasn't up to me."

"No, Jack, the searching-for-me-when-I-was-missing thing, not the being-brought-onto-the-Project thing."

"Oh. Right."

"So. What did you think?"

"Of you."

"Of me, yes."

Jack opened his mouth and Daniel could almost hear some snappy reply — damn, those habits were hard to break! — then he closed it again. Thought about it for a minute. Tried again, this time with a knowing smile. "Daniel, you know what I thought."

The problem was, that was true. Daniel nodded, "I have an idea, but that's kind of the point here, Jack. We always _know_ what the other thinks, that's part of why we work together as well as we do, considering that you're you and I'm...well, me. But we lost that innate sense of each other after the catastrophe and it wasn't just because I got hurt. Suddenly the need to work together got replaced by a lot of other very different imperatives. What we always had was intuitive. I think that's a good thing. But if we're going to find that again I think we need to _learn_ it instead of just falling into the instinctiveness of it like we..."

"Daniel!" Jack's hand shot out and stilled his own which had begun to gesticulate wildly. "I just know you've got a short version somewhere in that noggin of yours."

Daniel could already feel Entar smiling indulgently at their interplay. «_Now you're overdoing it_.»

«_No, Entar, I don't think I am_.» "Jack, we've never really done the talking-getting-to-know-each-other thing, because we've never had to."

Ding! Jack's sudden stillness and intense gaze told Daniel they were finally on the same page. Jack's next words confirmed it.

"And lookee what happened." The look in Jack's eyes transformed his expression from revelation to guilt. A lot of it. For the first time Daniel could see for himself what Jack had gone through while Daniel was MIA and Sam hadn't overstated the case. The betrayal that alternate Jack had referred to must have bitten deeper than Daniel imagined for Jack to have pushed him away as far as he had. Too much for Jack to easily take back harsh words and stubborn gestures. If only there hadn't been so much distance between them at the time! Too much time apart and not enough time to do anything to change that.

Nevertheless, Daniel felt a huge release of something unidentifiable at present, inside him, as he felt Jack take that metaphorical first step onto the bridge with him. The hint of fear in his friend's eyes told Daniel that Jack did appreciate just what this bridge was: what crossing it would mean. There were layers in Jack that Daniel had never probed; things in his past Daniel had touched the edges of but never dug deeper, because he hadn't needed to know. The sense he had of Jack, his trust in him, was so complete. Now Jack would have to relive some of those secrets in order to "tell" Daniel who he was.

Jack didn't do vulnerability terribly well, but he was capable of it. He failed to cross that bridge with Sara and his marriage fell apart. Seemingly Jack considered his bone-deep friendship with Daniel important enough to try.

Bone deep. Yes, for Daniel it was that and he always thought it was the same for Jack. Jack's rejection of him when he blended with Entar pulled most everything, including the carpet, out from under Daniel and for a while he had looked to Entar for the ability to go on, perhaps more than was healthy for either of them. It wasn't as if Daniel had a choice about sharing his feelings with Entar, but that didn't take away from the fact that he leaned on someone more than was usually comfortable for him.

«_Perhaps you substituted leaning on me for leaning on O'Neill_.»

Okay. That hurt. He hadn't leaned on Jack since the early days when he came back from Abydos. And during that time, who could blame him? He'd lost his entire life...

«_You are doing what you've always done with O'Neill since those 'early days'. You move toward him from a position of — what is to you — strength. You know he is capable of lying to himself and to the rest of the world when he is vulnerable. Can you not at least admit that you do the same? Lead by example, my friend. Not by the nose_.»

«_Entar! I'm not! ...Am I?_» Maybe Entar was right. Maybe to get anything constructive happening here he needed to follow, not lead. Make it Jack's idea.

«_Do you remember...?_» The memory Entar dredged up for him was the bad one. The really bad one...

_...the unbearable mixture of fear and pity in Jack's eyes as Daniel stared at his friend down the shaking barrel of a gun...the friend whom, with Sam and Teal'c, Daniel had abandoned to a slow, starving, crushing death in a naqadah mine... "God, look at you...I know what it's like. You can get through it..."_

Jack said so much about himself with those words. At the time Daniel hadn't picked up on it. He had been too wrapped up in his own deadly cocktail of withdrawal: confusion and fear and loss...and guilt. Oh, yes, definitely guilt. He remembered so clearly the unbearable weight of it: how could he ever raise his head again, be with his family again, after what he had done?

His family. Family was that sense of belonging with certain people, of having a place in the world, which Daniel had lost at eight years old and never fully regained. He never trusted that much, never found the right person, let alone the right people.

Until SG-1 and Jack. Jack recognised Daniel's demand to join the team as the self-centred thing it was, but rather than rejecting him (as perhaps he should have) he gave Daniel a chance, and Teal'c. Jack forged four disparate individuals into something more than a team: a family. Jack proved to Daniel over and over again that he did have a place, he did belong with SG-1. Daniel's own bad habits had always made him hold such proofs so gingerly, with both hands, like Mrs Stuart's best china. His first foster placement had washed past him in a haze of numbness as he struggled in vain with the overwhelming sense that his parents were only just around the corner and at some point they'd come back for him...

_Jack's hand cupping Daniel's cheek; rough calluses against freshly shaved skin... "I want you."_

_Meeting dark eyes regretfully. "You want _him_."_

The strange feelings that were awoken by that other Jack were still with him — they were too profound to fade at his bidding — and perhaps that was part of why Daniel himself was hesitating now. He wasn't sure how he felt about Jack any more.

Well, that confusion wasn't helping matters right now and this precious space of time should not be wasted. Daniel could mull over ambiguous sexuality issues later. First and foremost he recognised that Jack was the family he'd never had and should be acknowledged as such.

_Lead by example_. Back on Earth, Daniel had demanded an apology from Jack. An apology Jack had intended to offer, he realised. But Daniel's behaviour that day was worse than anything Jack had done to him. He nodded to himself, acknowledging the fault. Time to fix it.

"Jack...I owe you an apology, but more than that I think I owe you an explanation."

"For what?"

"For my behaviour back on Earth, when you got your promotion." Daniel sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I wasn't angry with you. Well, I guess I was, but it had nothing to do with Entar, or what happened a year ago. It was about the X-301." He looked up at his friend, seeing an earnest desire to understand in Jack's eyes. "I was pissed because I was kept out of the loop on the project. I know it was super-secret, but if you'd told me about it, Jack, I could have warned you about the recall device. I figured keeping me out was your decision, so I got mad. I'm sorry. If it was your call, you couldn't have known and either way you didn't deserve what I did."

Jack mulled that one over for a few seconds. Then he nodded. "For what it's worth, Danny, it wasn't my decision. The project was strictly need-to-know. But...apology accepted."

Daniel smiled. The first chasm had been crossed, but that was just the first one.

Time for a change of pace. Twenty four hours with nothing to do that had anything to do with saving the universe called for a celebration and a change of scenery. The tentative smile became stronger. "How 'bout we take this outside, mon General?"

Daniel hadn't seen that look of fond confusion for a while. The one that asked, _what are you up to, now, Daniel?_ He'd missed it. "Sam showed me around your base a year ago," he added, "but for some reason she left the favoured fishing spots out of her tour."

And here came the real warmth. An open, genuine grin, the one that declared school was out for the summer. The one that had Daniel breathing really easily for the first time since they'd been separated.

God, that far back. He hadn't realised. The canon blast from hell which had nearly destroyed him and the hard months of pain the followed had wiped from his memory what real relaxation felt like. What it was like to be so complete he hadn't even needed to think about allowing himself to have fun with Jack and Sam and Teal'c — he'd just gone ahead and done it. Revelation piling on top of revelation, he saw suddenly that this, as much as his other troubles, had been standing between him and Janet: that no matter how much he tried he couldn't build permanence on the quicksand of this broken friendship. He held part of himself back, always, because that way he stayed safe...and alone. Shit, what a mess!

Suddenly the knot which had held him together for all those months unravelled and he didn't fall apart. He felt his place in the universe again, rather than just recognising it through Entar's eyes. He found himself grinning at Jack.

Jack pushed back from the table and let out a long breath. Looked at him. Looked at him some more. Picked up a mangled paper clip and flicked it at him. The grin got wider.

"Missed you, Daniel. Last one to the locker room's buying the beer..."

Somehow without appearing to rush, or show any sign of indecent haste, Jack was already out of the door while Daniel was still getting to his feet. Daniel grinned to himself, feeling the mirror of Jack's devilment stirring inside himself. He headed out to his temporary quarters to pick up a few things. Well, there was no point in planning a fishing trip unless he had something with which to annoy Jack. He was so much fun when he was pleasantly irked....

* * *

"I was always waiting for them to come back. The first few months after my parents died. I guess I understood about death, but it felt like...punishment."

Jack flicked his line out over the flow of water and then leaned back in his camping chair, trying to picture the bespectacled eight-year-old Daniel had been. He only partially succeeded. "I can't imagine what that must have been like. I mean, life with mom and dad was okay, and even when we weren't speaking I had my grandfather and those times were just great. Out of this world. I can't begin to think how losing that would feel."

Daniel shrugged. "I did okay. Eventually."

"You told me once you've got a grandfather. Didn't he look after you?" Jack knew from Daniel's file that he hadn't: the record showed a string of foster homes and no family. He asked to give Daniel a chance to vent in the old man's direction if he needed to. The file said what happened; it didn't say why.

Daniel shook his head. "No."

For a while, Jack thought Daniel was going to hold out on him, but then he continued in that tight voice that told Jack he was tearing the information out by its teeth.

"Nick was an adventurer, travelling all over the world, chasing after this and that. He was the closest thing there is to a real life Indiana Jones. It was all he knew how to do. He couldn't have looked after me if he'd wanted to...and he didn't."

Jack tried to keep the condemnation from showing on his face, knowing it wouldn't help. But damn it, that was one thing he couldn't understand. What kind of man would abandon a child like that? Would it have been so hard, taking care of a bright kid like Daniel?

"I was even more tetchy and precocious than I am now, Jack," Daniel told him, evidently reading Jack like a book.

"Ah, stop doing that, willya? You may be the absent minded professor type but you can be useful sometimes."

Daniel grinned and said no more on the subject.

I know what you mean about punishment, though," Jack continued, going back to Daniel's original point. "After Charlie died, I used to find myself praying that he would come back and put me out of my misery. As if I could wake up and find it was all the biggest goddamned nightmare on the face of the planet. I just wanted to make it up to him. All the times I wasn't there. All the times I didn't listen, didn't explain stuff because he was too young and I was trying to protect him."

Jack lowered his eyes from the infinity of the skyline and looked back at Daniel. "You're always hoping you've served your time, that it can be over, go back to how it was."

"Yes!" Daniel's immediate, even eager answer told Jack he'd struck the nail on the head. Daniel's eyes expressed gratitude for Jack's understanding and the thread of hope for their friendship which had begun to uncurl inside him during their short trip to Tollana grew stronger.

He smiled at the picture of contentment Daniel presented: a huge thermos of coffee beside him, a bag of cookies beneath, half a dozen books scattered around. He was curled up on a bunk blanket on the grass, surrounded by everything necessary for his well-being — including Jack. Jack had understood from quite early in their friendship that he was a part of that survival kit for Daniel.

Now, however...now he had the snake..._god, no, sorry, got to get used to this_...Entar with him. Which was probably the only reason Daniel could curl up beside the river on a warm spring day and not sneeze himself into the middle of next week, but still, Jack would rather...

The light bulb that flashed over his head in that instant almost blinded him. It wasn't just the fact that Entar was a...a symbiot. No, it wasn't that.

Jack was envious of Entar.

That Daniel had become close to Cleis and Entar, close enough to consider joining the Tok'Ra, was bad enough. But Jack spent a year following every hint that might lead them to a new medical technology, anything that might help Daniel, and it all came to nothing. Yet Entar succeeded where Jack had failed. He knew Daniel in a way and to a depth Jack never would. Knew all his nooks and crannies, every dark secret and he would always be there for him. Always. He took care of Daniel now.

And as far as Jack was concerned that was _his_ job...

Damn.

He'd come so close to losing his most important friendship. Not just losing it but pushing Daniel so far away that neither of them had seen a way back. And then Daniel got himself lost for real.

So. Time to make an effort and make sure that could never happen again. Jack put his fishing line on its little rest which was pushed hard into the firm soil of the river bank and rose from his seat to "steal" some of Daniel's coffee.

"You don't mind if I siphon off some of your lifeblood here, do you, Daniel?"

Daniel snorted, handing him the thermos without lifting his nose out of _The Archaeology of Minoan Crete_. "Go ahead, Vlad, just ignore the garlic aftertaste," he answered deadpan, somehow managing to go right on scribbling in margins and muttering imprecations about authors who don't really cover their subject. Even when Jack sprayed coffee all over his arm in response to the garlic comment, he went right on scribbling and muttering.

Jack took another cautious sip, unsure whether he'd tasted anything or not. Ah, he hadn't. Daniel was playing with his head again. Well, good. If Daniel was comfortable enough to do that, then he was where he needed to be, headspace-wise. Maybe enough to hear some of Jack's shadows without overreacting. Maybe enough to understand. That was why they were out here, after all.

Jack took a breath and plunged in. "I guess I do know what it's like to feel abandoned, now I come to think of it. You know about the time Cromwell left me behind in Iraq, but there was another time."

Jack paused before he really began his narrative, just to gauge how Daniel was doing. He seemed happy enough: the nose now out of the book. As he watched, Daniel sat up and turned toward him, going into his patented _listening_ mode: sat forward, arms wrapped around his knees, eyes fixed on Jack's face. Like a kid waiting for a story, but somehow expressing that he was doing it for the storyteller more than for himself.

Abandoning the chair, Jack sat on the bank, next to Daniel's blanket nest, and dug in. "When I was in Special Ops, I was given a recon mission in the Middle East. I parachuted in over the Iran/Iraq border but my 'chute didn't open in time. I didn't have enough height when the brakes kicked in, if you know what I mean, and I broke my skull."

"Ow."

"Yeah, that's what I said. Actually, I don't remember what I said. There was no chance of rescue, so I had to crawl out of there on my own. Took me nine days and what I can remember of it was a pounding headache and a lot of blur. I woke up a coupla times and couldn't remember where I was or which direction I should be going. Thank god my sense of self-preservation kicked in, 'cos I knew I had to stay out of sight of the locals. The blackouts didn't last long — a coupla hours and then things would come back — but I don't think I've ever been more scared than I was then. There was one thing I never forgot, though: Sara. I had her scared, angry face in front of me the whole time...couldn't bear how she'd feel if I didn't make it back."

"I didn't know if I would find a way back."

_Huh? What's he... Oh, yeah. Right. Of course._ "Was it very different in that other reality?" Jack asked, both curious and glad for the excuse to move the subject on. "Was I...different?"

"Oh. Well. Er...nothing's exactly the same in any reality, Jack, so yeah, there were differences. Little...you know...bits and pieces of things..."

That sounded like Daniel having a bit of a freak-out. How different could things have been? _Well, we weren't exactly friends last time we met. Maybe that other Jack was really nice to him and he doesn't want to remind me what a bastard I was..._ Jack let the matter drop, casting around for a different question. "Did you get to meet yourself finally?"

O-kaay. That wasn't supposed to send Daniel running for the hills, either. He looked kind of trapped and sad. That was a no, then. "You...he... Dead, huh?"

"Yeah. Don't ask. Not pleasant, don't really want to think about it." Now it was Daniel staring into infinity. Jack let him have the time. After a few moments, Daniel visibly shook himself and looked at Jack again. "There is one thing, though. Have any of your teams ever been to a planet called Kelowna?"

The sudden change of subject was confusing, but Jack just went with it. "Doesn't ring a bell. Do you know the address?"

"No, just the designation. P2S-4C3."

"I don't think so. I can check the logs if you like."

"It's not important..." Daniel was definitely distracted by something.

Jack watched him for a moment. "Daniel, I thought that was why we came out here," he ventured, gently. "To talk to each other. What happened on the other side of that mirror?"

It took a while for Daniel to decide what to say. Jack could follow the emotions that crossed his friend's face: fear, some confusion, indecision, the sadness again, even...embarrassment? Jack kept his peace while Daniel sorted through his thoughts. When Daniel finally spoke, it wasn't to tell his story, however.

"Jack, you know what? I don't think I'm the best person to talk about this. I was pretty out of it after the explosion. Entar remembers it better than I do. Is it okay if he tells you this part? Please, Jack. Give him a chance."

Jack's antagonism at the suggestion was automatic: an old reaction. Apparently he was going to have to earn this information. He wasn't happy with the suggestion, but made an effort to push it aside. "Okay. Go ahead."

"General O'Neill."

The symbiot's voice still sent a chill down Jack's spine, but he ignored it. Entar had chosen to begin with a formal introduction, and Jack realised that was way overdue. Maybe things would have gone a whole lot better a year ago if circumstances had been different. Less frenetic. There had been no time for him to approach what was an incredibly important change in Daniel's life with anything like the equanimity there could have been. Yes, introductions were a good idea. And after all, Entar and Jacob...Selmak...were good friends and all that, and Jack knew he could get along with them, so...

He nodded, doing his best to keep his expression on the friendly side of neutral. _You can do this, Jack. Come on, time to step up to the plate..._ "Ambassador Entar. Thank you, by the way. For looking after him."

Seeing the symbiot's own, very different smile on Daniel's face still freaked Jack out. There was little of Daniel in that expression. "Thank you for that, General. I can appreciate how difficult this is for you. If the circumstances of our blending had been different..."

Okay. Jack hadn't been prepared for that and he couldn't keep the smile, nor the sigh of relief, from escaping him. _Damned smart snake_, he thought ruefully. _You know just what to say, don't you?_ This time, though, Jack believed it came as an attempt at diplomacy rather than a manipulation, and he accepted it as such. _He's doing this for Daniel. So am I. So get on with it, face the music._

"Yeah, I can see that, Entar. I...I would like to apologise. Daniel was right about my behaviour. It was inappropriate."

"The apology is unnecessary, General, but thank you, again. That means a lot to both of us." Entar disappeared from Daniel's face and, for a moment, it was Daniel who looked out at him. Reaching across Jack held his friend's arm for a second — just touching base with him. There was a grateful smile and a "Thanks, Jack" and then Entar was back in place.

"It was our sabotage of the experiments on Alkar that sent us into the alternate reality. Daniel was injured by the explosion and should have rested, but we were in a lifeless desert. We attempted to find the stargate..."

Jack had guessed Daniel had a bad time, but Entar's description of their walk across the desert hit very close to his own memories. Entar was leaving a lot out, but Jack was willing to settle for the highlights. It was a miracle that the other SG-1 had found Daniel alive. Even more miraculous, to Jack's way of thinking, was that other Jack's willingness to give Daniel a chance, _knowing_ he was a host. Jack knew he wouldn't have done so himself. The thought made him cold: that in the mirror image of this situation, he would have condemned Daniel to death.

"...O'Neill persuaded General Hammond to permit us access to their quantum mirror. Daniel remembered your mirror was located here. Once we succeeded in locating this reality returning home was a simple matter." Having given Jack what was clearly an edited version of events, Entar returned control of his voice to Daniel.

"That's it in a nutshell, Jack."

"Well...thanks, Daniel...Entar." That hadn't been so bad. He would never completely trust any Tok'Ra, but maybe he could get used to this, eventually. He would have to. He wasn't going to lose this friendship again.

Though he noticed Daniel had neatly sidestepped whatever was bothering him. Something about that other O'Neill, or something connected to the other Daniel's death. Whatever it was, it disturbed Daniel in a whole bunch of ways, even to the point of embarrassment.

Jack was just about to try again, dig a little deeper, when his radio, which he had brought along in case of some unlikely emergency, crackled.

"_General O'Neill? Come in, over_."

Jack froze, staring at the radio in disbelief. "No. No! Goddammit, what could they possibly — "

"Better answer it, Jack..."

Jack's sigh could have sent a yacht across the Atlantic. Snatching up the radio he thumbed the send button savagely, prepared to bite someone's head off. The first downtime he'd had in god-alone-knew how long, and... Then he caught sight of the wince on Daniel's face, and it was so comical that Jack burst out laughing instead. "Damn it, Daniel..."

The wince became a sympathetic smile as Jack answered the summons.

"O'Neill here. What is it?"

"_Nothing urgent, sir, at least we don't think so, but we thought you should be informed. It's the computers, sir. Everything just went haywire_."

"That's not urgent?"

"_We're rebooting the gate computer and it looks fine. Everything else is settling down. We just don't know the cause. The techs are working on it_."

"Understood, sergeant. Thank you." Putting the radio back down on the blanket, Jack blew out his cheeks. "Hmm."

"Maybe we should head back," Daniel suggested tentatively.

"What're you thinking?"

"Well...it might be nothing, Jack. But Tanith...Anubis...that whole thing of they might know where we are..."

They should head back. They really should. Jack stared at the sky for a moment, trying to think of a good reason to stay out here. Suddenly there was a hand on his arm. Daniel. He looked down. Daniel's face was sympathy itself.

Closing his eyes, acknowledging Daniel's empathy, Jack reached out and laid a hand on the solid shoulder before him. "You're right, we'd better go. But you're not getting out of it that easily. Sooner or later..."

"What?"

"You still haven't really answered my question."

Daniel stilled for a moment, part way through gathering up the detritus of their small "encampment" on the river bank. He straightened, obviously thinking. "I guess it was just awkward. To be honest, I'm not sure what to say about it. Daniel was...dead...and quite recently. I guess you could say I got to observe, first hand, how much you...and everyone...missed me. It was...strange, to say the least."

Jack nodded slowly. He could understand that. Sorta like attending your own funeral. Weird.

Jack picked up the radio and looked over his fishing gear. He could come back for that later, he decided, striding off in the direction of the base. Daniel, a step or two behind him, was still stuffing books, blanket and food into his back pack. Jack grinned as his companion narrowly missed tripping over a tussock of grass. Some things never changed.

* * *

The fishing spot wasn't more than ten minutes brisk walk from the base. They were almost there when Daniel stopped walking suddenly. "Jack, can you hear that?"

"What?"

"Sounds like..." Daniel began, and suddenly Jack could hear it, a horribly familiar sound but one he couldn't immediately place.

"Death glider!" Both men spoke as they recognised the sound in the same moment. They ran together for the cover of the nearest building: the small hangar which had been built for the work on the X-301. They hit the corrugated metal wall and Jack peered around the corner of the hangar, searching the sky. But the sound was coming from the direction of the sun and he could see nothing yet.

He lifted the radio and opened a channel. "This is General O'Neill. Code gamma five; repeat gamma five. This is not a drill."

An affirmative came through and an instant later Jack heard the siren wailing across the base. Good. Sergeant Levi was a good man in a crisis. Jack could trust him to implement the gamma five protocol. Gamma five covered ground-to-air defence of the base and emergency evacuation of all personnel not immediately involved in that defence. Jack spoke into the radio again, raising his voice to be heard above the siren. "Sergeant, what's the status of the stargate?" If this was a planned attack, the Goa'uld might have dialled in to prevent an evacuation.

"_Gate is inactive, General. We're dialling the beta site now." A brief hesitation, then, "Seventh chevron locked, sir_."

"Good. Send all non-combatants through ASAP. We've got death gliders incoming." And now Jack could see them: four...five...shit, too many.

"_What's your status, General_?"

A hand on his shoulder distracted him momentarily. "Jack, Entar thinks..."

"Not now, Daniel," Jack snapped. "I'm on my way back, Sergeant. Be with you in three minutes max. O'Neill out." He stayed flat against the wall, looking up to judge the trajectory of the gliders, then glanced back to Daniel. "Stay with me," he ordered. Keeping to the shadow of the line of outbuildings would give them a clear run to the ops centre. Jack led the way, running low but fast, looking back only once to confirm Daniel was keeping pace.

They reached the main building just as the gliders zoomed overhead. Terror tactics, Jack recognised: they didn't fire on the first pass, just flew low over the buildings. The firing would come on the second pass...which gave his people time to acquire their targets.

Carl met them as they hurried to the control room.

"Report, Carl."

"Defence teams active. Evacuation of non-essential personnel is in progress. I figure that computer glitch was us being scanned. Lucky Bergman rebooted the gate system so quickly. You want the self destruct activated?"

"Jack," Daniel interrupted again.

Jack shut him up with a gesture. To Carl, he said, "Yes, just make sure you leave time for a full evacuation. Thirty minutes?"

"Done."

"Jack!" Daniel almost shouted.

_WHAT? _"Make it fast," Jack snapped.

"If I can get up to the hat'ak Entar can take it out."

That put a different spin on things. "Alkesh?" he suggested.

"Tanith's. Yes, that'll do."

They always shared a certain verbal shorthand in the field; they knew each other so well they read each other’s minds. Not literally, but each guessed the other’s thoughts with sometimes surprising accuracy.

Carl, however, on the outside of the loop, had to catch up. "What hat'ak?" he demanded.

Jack explained quickly. "If there are gliders in the sky there's a mothership in orbit. And...are you nuts?" That last was aimed at Daniel.

"No. I'm Tok'Ra."

Oh. "You sure you can do this?"

"Yes."

That had to be good enough. "Okay, but I'm not letting you go alone." Jack turned back to Carl. "Carl, do what you can to buy us as much time as possible. Put everyone you can on defence, but don't compromise the evacuation. That takes priority. Daniel — armoury."

They headed down the corridor at a near-run.

Carl, still confused, called after them. "Jack, what are you doing?"

"Trust me, Carl," Jack tossed over his shoulder. "We'll be back!"

"You're not Arnie, Jack!"

"Brains, not brawn, Carl!"

* * *

At the armoury, Jack armed himself quickly. There was no time for him to ditch the formal uniform he wore so he settled for pulling on a combat jacket and a utility belt to hold his radio. Since they were heading into major trouble, he skipped the smaller guns in favour of the M249 SPW. The Special Forces weapon was bulky, but the steel-tipped rounds would go through a Jaffa's armour like butter. Daniel gave him an amused look as he picked up the machine gun, opening his mouth to speak.

"If you make one crack about my gun being bigger than yours you're gonna eat it," Jack threatened, looking pointedly at the zat Daniel was holding. He grabbed a zat himself — it never hurt to have backup, and a zat was at least quiet — and they left.

Tanith's alkesh was badly damaged when the SGA first acquired it. Following the deal brokered by Jacob, the Tok'Ra repaired the ship well enough to fly it from the planet where it crashed to Stargate Alpha. The alkesh was currently housed in a wooden enclosure with a camouflage net as cover, the X-301 hangar being much too small for the captured craft. A team from Earth was expected soon to begin strip-and-research work on the ship and its contents; in the meantime they had an almost fully functional Goa'uld mid-range bomber with two death gliders still in its bays.

Inside the improvised hangar, Jack activated the release and the camouflage net rolled back almost silently. At the entrance to the craft, Jack spoke the password. He glanced sideways at Daniel.

Daniel smirked. "'Eat my shorts'? _That's_ your password?"

"Well, you'd never guess it, would you?" Jack retorted, making impatient just-get-the-hell-in-there gestures as the external port opened. Once inside, both men made for the glider bay.

It wasn't until they were both climbing aboard one of the gliders that Jack realised something that came as something of a shock.

"Daniel..." He was strapping himself into the pilot's position as he spoke, Daniel having taken the rear. The M249 was safely wedged beside the seat.

"Yeah, Jack?"

"How did you know we wouldn't just be flying the alkesh?"

There was no immediate answer. Just before he fastened the strap, restricting his head movement, Jack twisted to look back at Daniel. Daniel's expression wasn't quite a smirk, but Jack recognised it as a somewhat kindly I-told-you-so. He tapped his forehead once then turned away, reaching for the straps. Jack got the message. Entar was how. Naturally the symbiot would know that taking the alkesh, a craft totally out of place in this situation, wouldn't work as a ruse to get them aboard the mothership. The alkesh would be blown out of the sky before they got anywhere near the hat'ak. In a death glider, they might be able to slip aboard.

So. That was a positive advantage to having Entar tucked away in Daniel's head. The old Daniel wouldn't have known it, at least not as instinctively as Jack did. This was good.

"Sweet," he muttered.

"I can open the alkesh bay doors from here. Flight check, Jack?"

Jack's hands moved quickly over the controls. "All systems operational. Weapons..."

"If we need them, we're dead anyway."

"...online," Jack finished firmly.

Daniel chuckled. "Jack, are the alkesh rings operational?"

Again, Jack saw where he was going with that question. The glider would get them aboard the mothership, but once Entar set the self-destruct or whatever he was planning to do, they would need a much faster way off the ship. They couldn't use the rings to get aboard — like the alkesh, that would be a dead giveaway — but it was a logical escape route.

"Yeah. One of the first things we checked when it got here."

"Okay then. What are we waiting for?"

"You, actually. It's your show. Or Entar's."

"You're in the pilot's seat. Just head in the general direction of up. I'll take weapons and comms. Leave the talking to me."

"No problem there. The only Goa'uld I understand is kree and that's not going to get us very far."

Daniel laughed.

"Hold on tight!" Jack grinned, feeling a not-entirely welcome rush of adrenaline as he guided the death glider out of the bay.

* * *

Daniel left the piloting to Jack, trusting him to ask for help if he needed it. He tuned the comm. system of their glider into the enemy transmissions. The enemy Jaffa were speaking in Goa'uld, of course, so he provided a running commentary for Jack as they flew.

"They're going to see us, Daniel!"

«_He is right. We must destroy at least one of the enemy_.»

«_You'll have to help me, Entar_,» Daniel sent, worried. He knew this technology, but didn't have much confidence in his aim. He shouted to Jack, "Try getting in behind them, join the formation."

"It'll never work." Jack sent their glider into a loop even as he protested. He gained them some height then swooped in behind the enemy gliders. "Now what?"

"Stay with them as long as you can. I'm going to take one out so we can take his place."

«_Like this, my friend_.»

Guided by Entar, Daniel activated the glider cannons. He targeted the nearest glider. "Keep her steady, Jack..."

He fired. The enemy glider vanished in a spectacular fireball.

Jack swore, steering the glider into a steep climb to avoid the debris. "Geez, Daniel, warn a man, wouldya?"

"I did." The base was far behind them now. "Cut back on the speed a little, make it look like we're damaged."

"Roger that."

Daniel opened a comm channel to the hat'ak in orbit above them. Imitating a Jaffa, he reported that he had shot down someone attempting to escape their attack in a captured death glider. When the reply came back, demanding to know why he was leaving the attack, Daniel almost voiced his surprise. He knew that voice. And not from Entar's memories. From his own.

He replied, explaining that his craft was damaged and he required a replacement. That did not please the Goa'uld, who ordered him to return immediately. Daniel made a suitably obsequious reply and shut off the transmission quickly so he could talk to Jack.

"It worked. We can go aboard." He shut off the glider weapons: they wouldn't need them again. "Jack, the Goa'uld who ordered the attack is Zipacna."

"What? Klorel's little lapdog?"

"The very one. He's not powerful enough to stand alone. Someone sent him here."

"Then Carl was right: they know we're here."

«_There are other possibilities_.»

«_But that's the most likely one, Entar. Let's not cloud the issue until we have time to talk about it_.»

They were out of the planet's atmosphere now. The hat'ak hung in space before them, huge and intimidating. Daniel took a deep breath. Jack would need directions. "Head for the glider bay at three o'clock. You won't have to manoeuvre inside, there should be a docking beam to bring us in."

"What happens when they see we're not Jaffa?"

«_They die_.» "We'll be aboard before that happens," Daniel answered.

"Good enough."

At that moment the expected check in came over the comm and Daniel answered it, hoping Zipacna's Jaffa weren't cautious enough to have built in an ID check. It seemed okay. He told Jack how to release control of the glider. The rest of the docking process was automated, so he loosened the straps keeping him in place, and readied his weapon. In front of him, Jack was doing the same.

The glider slid smoothly into a bay. Jack popped the hatch at once. He glanced back at Daniel, an unspoken order to let him lead the way. He climbed out of the glider quickly, that big gun slung across his back, a zat in his hand.

«_You'd better take over, Entar. You know these ships better than I do_.»

A burly Jaffa approached their glider: no soldier this one, just a tech expecting a damaged ship to repair. He saw Jack and started to turn, ready to raise an alarm.

Everything happened very fast.

Entar shouted, "Jaffa, kree!"

The Jaffa froze. Entar started to raise his zat.

Jack fired, twice, quickly. The Jaffa fell.

Entar fired. The Jaffa's body vaporised.

Entar jumped down from the glider. "Follow me, General."

* * *

Entar seemed to know his way around the ship. Jack followed, holstering his zat and switching to the heavier gun. "Where are we going?" he asked, looking behind them to check for pursuit.

"Besides the peltac, there is one place on the ship where I can gain direct access to the computer core. From there I can set the self destruct."

Would they have time to get off the ship? Jack didn't ask, not sure he would like the answer.

"How long?"

"It's right here." Entar raised his weapon, standing flat against the wall beside a door. Jack followed suit on the other side. Entar touched a crystal and the door slid open. Jack whirled into the doorway, ready to fire. He scanned the room quickly: it was empty. He relaxed.

The room was circular. Panels on the walls were the usual gold; in the centre a thick semi-transparent column filled the room, floor to ceiling. It was filled with crystals and other controls: technology Jack had no hope of understanding.

Entar went to the central column and touched a panel. The shell of the column cracked, part of it lifting into the ceiling.

"Neat," Jack commented.

"This will take some time, General. Cover the door. If we are discovered here our intent will be obvious."

"Gotcha." He went to the door, alternately watching the corridor and Entar. It was a struggle not to hurry Entar. Every minute they were up here, death gliders were killing people on his base. Jack trusted the men and women he had defending the base, but he was painfully aware of the limitations. They had no aircraft. Some ground-to-air missiles, but that was it. They could fight off a ground assault and could put up a good defence against death gliders, but fighting the mothership was beyond them. The best defence of the SGA had always been secrecy. Now that was gone.

"Jack!"

Daniel's voice was unexpected, and Jack whirled around. "What's up?"

"I need a data crystal." Daniel spoke without looking up. "There 's a storage unit beside you. Could you look for me?"

Jack stared at the wall beside him. "A little help, here?"

"Touch the amber jewel. That should open it."

Jack dutifully touched the crystal and the wall panel opened. "What am I looking for? And what are you up to? I thought you were setting the self destruct."

"Clear crystals, about the size of a walnut. And I am setting the self destruct. But Anubis has seriously upgraded this ship and I can transfer the data while I'm working."

"Anubis?" Jack found a row of crystals and grabbed one. "Catch!"

Daniel looked up, caught the crystal as Jack threw it, and placed it in the console. "I'm afraid so. The good news is this was just a scouting mission: Zipacna didn't know you were here until he arrived. If we're really lucky he won't get a chance to tell."

"How _long_, Daniel?" Jack kept his eyes on the corridor.

Daniel's hands were moving rapidly over the console. "I need to change the core access codes so the self destruct can't be deactivated from the peltac. I'm going as fast as I can, but...got it!" Daniel glanced Jack's way briefly. "Just a few seconds more..."

A few seconds they didn't have. "We've got company!" Jack called out the warning as he swung the M249 upward. He fired a three second burst before the approaching Jaffa even got off a shot. "Daniel!" A staff weapon blast hit the wall beside him. Too damned close. Jack returned fire.

"Done!" Daniel grabbed the data crystal, pocketing it before joining Jack at the door. "We've got sixty seconds to get to the rings."

"I hope it's that way!" Jack, still firing, jerked his head in the direction the Jaffa weren't coming from.

"We'll have to run for it."

Jack had figured that much out for himself. He hoped Daniel could follow his lead. He had time for no more than a quick glance Daniel's way. Daniel met his eyes with a nod, zat in hand. It was enough.

Jack stepped into the corridor, filling the air with automatic fire. The sound was deafening in the enclosed space and the gun jumped in his hands like a live thing with every round. It took all his concentration to hold it on target. He was aware of Daniel beside him as they backed down the corridor. Sixty seconds, Daniel said. It might not be long enough.

The staff weapon fire stopped. Jack turned and ran, following Daniel's lead.

Daniel reached a door and opened it, shouting something to Jack. Jack, his ears still ringing with echoes of machine gun fire, couldn't hear a thing. He shook his head.

There was a ring platform in front of them. Jack followed Daniel's gesture and went to stand there, keeping an eye on the door. Daniel activated the rings and dashed over to join him as another group of Jaffa appeared. Both of them started firing. They were still firing as the rings came down around them.

* * *

As the rings retreated beneath the alkesh's deckplates, Daniel became aware of pain in his back. A lot of pain. He collapsed to his knees.

«_Entar?_»

«_A bullet hit one of your ribs. It's nothing I can't heal_.»

An instant later Jack was kneeling with him. "You're hurt!"

With Jack's help, Daniel struggled to his feet. "It's nothing. I must have caught a ricochet. Entar will take care of it." The pain was receding as he spoke. The weakness he felt was just shock, then.

"How long before it blows?"

«_Fifteen_...»

"Fifteen seconds."

"Let's go, then," Jack said. The base was still under attack: Daniel could hear the explosions outside the alkesh. They hurried outside. Jack dragged him under cover and pulled the radio off his utility belt. "This is O'Neill. Anyone there? Respond. Over."

"_Jack!_" A voice cracked through the radio. "_What's your status, General?_"

Jack looked at Daniel who nodded, mouthing a countdown. _Eleven...ten..._

"Mission accomplished, Carl. We should see the fireworks in about eight seconds."

Daniel heard a brief cheer through the radio. He looked out across the base and didn't feel much like cheering. There were three death gliders still in the sky. Two had been taken out by the defenders: one crashed in open land, but the other had hit the residential block. Thick smoke was rising into the air, obscuring Daniel's view of the rest of the base.

He looked up at the sky. Three seconds to go. Beside him, Jack's expression was a mirror of his own. _Two...one..._

Nothing happened.

Another second passed. And another.

"Daniel...?" Jack said worriedly.

"I don't know." And then he did. They had failed. _He_ had failed.

In the sky above the base, instead of an explosion Daniel saw the hat'ak, now clearly visible in the upper atmosphere. It was heading for the base.

"Oh, crap," Jack swore. He grabbed his radio. "Carl, the mothership is headed our way. Get everyone out, now!" To Daniel, he added, "Come on!" right before he set off at a run.

Daniel had no choice but to follow. Jack didn't even try to stay undercover. Cover would do them no good anyway when the hat'ak started firing. Come to think of it, why wasn't it firing already...? Daniel looked for the hat'ak. It had stopped its descent and was hovering, low enough to bring its weapons to bear, but there was no sign of it firing.

Then he saw the death gliders.

"Jack!" Daniel grabbed his friend's arm to make him stop running. He pointed upwards, his eyes still on the hat'ak.

As they watched, the hat'ak began to rise, the three remaining death gliders chasing after it like a gaggle of ducklings trying to catch up with mom.

"They're leaving?" Jack said, relief filling his voice.

"It looks that way," Daniel answered, uncertainly.

«_The question is why_,» Entar pointed out.

Jack's radio crackled and Jack barked into it, "O'Neill. Go."

"_Where are you, Jack? I'm not leaving without you_."

"Looks like we've got a reprieve, Carl. The ship is leaving. I'm on my way to you now." He turned to Daniel as they continued walking toward what was left of the base. "Why d'you think — "

"...It didn't blow? Entar hasn't a clue. He's sure we did everything right. The ship's technology was different from the usual, though. There could have been failsafes built in or something."

"Well, you tried. Why are — "

"...They leaving? There's only one reason, Jack." The adrenaline rush of battle was fading, and the implications of the hat'ak leaving were becoming clear to Daniel and Entar as he spoke. His mouth went dry with fear as he looked at his friend. "Don't you see, Jack? Anubis must have recalled the ship."

Jack's eyes widened as he saw where Daniel was going. "And Zippy will tell him exactly where we are."

"Worse than that, Jack. The timing can't be coincidence. Zipacna has been recalled to intercept one of our ships." Daniel couldn't bring himself to say more, but he knew it was SG-1. He remembered Jacob's report: _There's a lot of firepower down there._ That meant his team were at the key base. The one they had to destroy, whatever the cost. The one Anubis would expend most resources to defend.

The data crystal in Daniel's pocket would tell them — when they had the leisure to examine it — just how _upgraded_ that ship was. While they were aboard Daniel had seen things in the computer that bore no resemblance to Goa'uld technology. If the hat'ak's weapons and shields were similarly improved, the ship far outclassed most Goa'uld vessels.

SG-1 were in a lot of trouble.


	27. Playing With Fire

The view from the window was usually space, or the weird blue-white blur of hyperspace. Now it was thick, roiling cloud. Though the shields of the ha'tak were holding, Sam felt claustrophobic, aware of the terrible pressure of the tides outside. They were deep within a gas giant, and here they would stay, hidden from all possible surveillance, while they planned their attack on Anubis' base.

Sam forced her gaze away from the window and turned to view the hologram her father was projecting. She looked, taking in the details.

Someone — a male voice — said, "Holy shit."

Sam heard Wilson snicker before he answered, "I couldn't have put it better myself."

"Thank you, Captain," Sam said.

"Sorry," Wilson muttered insincerely.

She fought the urge to grin at him. "Entar said this was most likely to be the cornerstone laboratory. Judging from the firepower down there, I think he was right."

Her dad nodded. "It looks that way."

"Dad, what exactly are we looking at?" Sam asked to make sure everyone knew. She could see for herself what they were facing.

Jacob waved a hand over the hologram, pointing out the different features. "This is the gilash'ad itself. It's shielded, but the energy signature of the shield is fluctuating. That means it's more about stopping visitors from seeing what's inside than it is about protection. The gilash'ad itself is defended by cannons on four corners. A single cannon can take out a death glider, and they are as accurate as the Jaffa manning them. Which means it's unpredictable, but we should assume the worst. The shield is blocking our scanners from the interior, so we have no way to know how many Jaffa Anubis has down there."

He paused, glancing up at everyone. "There are two hat'ak on the ground. If they were aware of our scan, they won't be on the ground for long. If not, if we get lucky...well, it's still a challenge, but these ships aren't very effective on the ground. Our biggest problem, though, is here." He indicated a tower: a separate structure a short distance from the main building. "The scan indicates the tower is a communications centre. Look at the power readings. That's enough to send a signal clear across to another galaxy! The tower will have to be our priority target. If they get a signal out, we'll be in trouble."

Lieutenant Ash of SG-4 spoke up. "Correct me if I'm wrong: but if we make the tower our priority target, that leaves those two ships time to get off the ground. Doesn't it?"

"It's possible," Jacob agreed.

"Then," Sam said, "we have to take out all three of them. Simultaneously."

Jacob shook his head. "I'm good, Sam, but not that good. Even if the hat'ak stay on the ground, it will take at least sixty seconds to hit all three. That's plenty of time for them to send out a call. And I can't guarantee that the first three shots will do enough damage."

"Can we jam their comms?" Sam asked.

It was Saddik who answered her. "This hat'ak can transmit a signal that will disrupt the communications of the two ships on the planet. However, the communication tower is too powerful to be affected."

Jacob added, "A jamming signal will disrupt our comms, too. You're going to need a link between the ship and your gliders."

"We could use an EMP to knock out their comms," Wilson suggested.

Everyone, including Sam, turned to look at him. "That's not exactly Goa'uld SOP, Captain," Sam pointed out.

"I know our orders are to simulate a Goa'uld attack, Major. But with all the firepower down there I think we're going to have to compromise. An EMP _will_ work. The more power that comm tower is generating, the more it will be affected."

Sam nodded. "It probably would. I'm not sure we have a way to generate a pulse that powerful, though."

Wilson grinned. "You're kidding, right? Major, we're sitting on several tonnes of liquid naqadah."

Jacob was shaking his head. "If we use the hat'ak's systems to generate an electro-magnetic pulse, it will affect us, too. We can't afford that."

"I wasn't suggesting we use the hat'ak. Look, I can rig the explosives. All we need is a delivery system."

"Such as?" Jacob pressed.

"Death glider?"

Sam held up a hand, halting the exchange before it could get out of hand. She swallowed, then looked straight at Wilson. "Let me get this straight, Captain. Are you telling us you want to McGuyver a _nuclear bomb_?"

Wilson's grin was cocky, arrogant. "I'm all out of lightbulbs and paperclips, Major, but yeah, that's what I'm saying."

_You're crazy_, Sam wanted to say. But as she drew a breath to speak she realised Wilson was right about one thing: it would take only a small amount of the liquid naqadah that fuelled the ship to generate a massive fission reaction. If exploded in the atmosphere of the planet, it _would_ create a massive electro-magnetic pulse, and that would achieve the effect Wilson wanted. The gilash'ad shield, the comm tower, the cannons...maybe even the hat'ak on the ground could be neutralised with that single bomb.

"What would you use as a catalyst?" she asked him.

"If we were in the lab at home I'd say potassium. But here..."

Jacob cut in with, "There's no potassium on board. These ships don't carry substances that react that badly with naqadah."

Sam frowned, knowing her dad's statement wasn't entirely true. They wouldn't deliberately carry something with that level of risk, but there was something... _Damn it — Remember!_ Something about the engines...

"Dad...when we blew up Apophis' advanced ship we did it by breaking the coolant system. Would that work here?"

"Sure. But we don't want to blow up this ship, Sam."

She shook her head, her mind racing several steps ahead of the conversation. "No, but the same reasoning applies. The coolant system ejects a waste product..."

"...Into space because it's so volatile."

"Exactly! How much of that would it take to create the kind of explosion Wilson's talking about?"

Jacob was silent for a moment. "I can modify the coolant system from here to retain the mescilium. But Sam, whoever goes down to extract it could be exposed to dangerous levels of radiation. The system is shielded but you'll have to open the shielding to get in."

"Damn," Sam muttered, then looked up at Wilson, knowing, an instant before he spoke, what he was going to say.

Wilson stepped forward, his look determined. "You said _could be_. So it's not certain, is it?" He didn't wait for Jacob's reply. "I'll volunteer, Major. It was my idea."

"No," Sam answered firmly.

It was then Saddik spoke up. "It will not be necessary to place yourself at risk. Selmak and I are better able to withstand radiation." He looked at Wilson. "I will go with you and extract the mescilium."

Wilson nodded. "Sounds like a plan. Major?"

At least he'd asked her. Sam hesitated. _Risky_ was a mild word for this plan. If they were back at the SGA, with proper equipment and precautions...but they weren't. All joking aside, there was a limit to improvisation.

"Major," Wilson said quietly, "I know it's dangerous, but you've read my file. This is what I do." There was no trace of a grin, no sign of his usual joking manner as he met Sam's eyes.

Wilson rarely referred to his work before he transferred to the stargate program. Sam met his look. Sometimes she did need to be reminded Wilson's happy-go-lucky approach to most things was a mask. Behind the mask...Sam did know Wilson's record — the parts of it that weren't classified "need to know". She should trust him to judge his own ability. _I must be crazy_... "How long will it take?" she asked.

"To build the device — call it a couple of hours to be safe."

"Please be safe, Captain," she said, managing a grin.

"You've got it."

"Then get started," she ordered, turning back to the display of the base. "Dad, can you modify that system now?" She waited for his affirmative, then continued. "Teal'c, take a look at this."

Wilson and Saddik left the pel'tac together and Sam waited for everyone else to gather around the display. "Captain Wilson's plan is unorthodox, but if it works no one on the ground will know what caused the EMP. I think we should stick with the plan to simulate a Goa'uld attack."

"I concur." Teal'c stood on the opposite side of the display, so she was looking at him through the hologram.

"Then I need your advice, Teal'c."

Teal'c reached toward the display. "We should divide our forces into two wings. We must rely on the hat'ak to deal with the two ships on the ground. Our death gliders will concentrate on the gilash'ad itself. There are two patterns of attack we can use..."

* * *

"Very impressive," Saddik commented.

Wilson didn't answer. He was pouring liquid naqadah into the chamber. Glowing green liquid that would kill all of them if he spilled a drop in the wrong place. Teeth gritted, he concentrated on keeping his hands rock steady.

Major Carter took him by surprise when she accepted his proposal to build a bomb. It was a little overwhelming: "McGuyver a nuclear bomb". On Earth, he wouldn't even consider it...but on Earth this would require radioactive material. Liquid naqadah was a stable element, left to itself. Naqadah was a superconductor, and in liquid form it held huge amounts of energy. With the right catalyst, it would release that energy in an explosion many times more powerful than an equivalent amount of plutonium.

The principle of his improvised bomb was simple. A dual chambered device which would keep the two liquids separate. Detonation would mix them, and as soon as they came into contact there would be fireworks. If they placed it inside a Death Glider the naqadah that fuelled the glider would add to the explosion. It should be one hell of a lightshow.

Wilson watched the last drop of naqadah fall and let himself breathe again. He looked up at Saddik. "You're far too easily impressed."

"Really." Saddik's voice was utterly neutral.

It was irritating as hell. "Really," Wilson snapped, sealing the bomb as he spoke. "It's typical Tok'Ra arrogance. You guys consistently underestimate us. Even Selmak does it, and he should know better." He checked the seal and straightened up. "This," he said, gesturing to the half-finished device, "is easy. I just know my chemistry."

Saddik nodded thoughtfully. "Perhaps you are right." After a moment he nodded again, as if he'd come to some decision. Whatever it was, he didn't share his thoughts. "You should leave the room, Captain. I will have to deactivate the radiation shield in order to extract the mescilium."

"You'll be okay?" Wilson asked, suddenly concerned. He knew Tok'Ra, like Teal'c, could stand some radiation exposure, but he also knew they weren't immune to it.

"I will work quickly," Saddik answered, which wasn't as reassuring as Wilson wanted. But it would have to do. He left the room, thumbing his radio as the door slid closed behind him. "Major Carter."

Her voice came back to him quickly. "Wilson, what's your progress?"

"Saddik's working on the mescilium. We should be done in about thirty minutes. I just need to know what kind of detonator you want me to use. Timer or remote?"

"What do you recommend?"

He shrugged, realised she couldn't see it and spoke into the radio. "They've both got their downsides. If it takes too long to place the bomb using a timer puts the pilot in danger. But to detonate by remote we've got to be in a position where the EMP could affect our systems."

The major hesitated only a second. "Timer," she said firmly.

"Consider it done."

* * *

The long-range visual communication device glowed in Selmak's hand. The voice that came through was Goa'uld, barely recognisable as Daniel.

"This could take a while," Jacob said as the glow faded. But moments later the LRVCD lit up again. Entar's voice came through. Then there was silence.

Sam nodded, not needing a translation. "Wilson. You're up."

"Yes, ma'am." Wilson left without a backward glance.

Sam watched him go, then turned back to her team, meeting Teal'c's eyes. He said nothing, but just the look was reassuring. Sam wanted Teal'c to deliver the bomb. Teal'c had volunteered. Wilson argued. He pointed out that they needed Teal'c to fly the mission, they couldn't afford to lose any of the Jaffa. Which was true. What Wilson hadn't said, but Sam heard clearly without him saying it, was Wilson didn't want to be responsible for another pilot's death, if something went wrong. He built the bomb; he wanted to be the one sitting on top of it. Sam wasn't happy with the idea, but she did agree with Wilson's reasoning.

Now her eyes took in the rest of her team, quickly appraising. Simmons was looking out the door, his thoughts obviously with Wilson. "Lieutenant," Sam said quietly.

Simmons snapped to attention.

"He knows what's at stake, Simmons, and he knows what he's doing."

"Yes, Major." Simmons agreed, but he didn't look any happier. Well, his best friend was sitting on top of a hastily-improvised nuclear device; Sam could understand Simmons being a little distracted. But there was no time for that now. "Focus, Lieutenant," she ordered. "Dad?"

Selmak answered her. "We are partially protected by the planet and I've diverted as much power as possible to the shields. We should be in no danger."

"Only partially protected?"

"If we go further into the planet's shadow Captain Wilson will not have time to return."

Of course. Sam moved to the display, watching Wilson's progress. For the first time in months, she was truly frightened. The stakes had never been this high. For an instant — no more than that — she wished this could be happening three years ago with Colonel O'Neill commanding the team. Then she shook herself. It was the waiting that was hard for her, not the responsibility. In her place, O'Neill would be just as worried as she was.

Her eyes were glued to the display. Wilson was almost there. "Slow and careful, Gene."

* * *

As he neared the planet, Wilson cut the engines to almost nothing, letting inertia carry him in. He was towing a disabled glider — not something a death glider was designed to do, but easily the safest way to do this, since a Goa'uld mothership didn't come equipped with torpedoes. That was a serious design flaw, in Wilson's opinion. Of course, the Goa'uld hadn't bothered to ask him.

The naqadah bomb was secure aboard the disabled glider. The glider was a protection as well as a delivery-system: if he had to release it ahead of schedule the glider would prevent the bomb from burning up in the planet's atmosphere. It would blow when the timer reached zero. Not before.

A synchronised timer attached to his glider's control panel showed Wilson how much time he had left. Maybe he'd cut the engines too soon...

No. Wilson felt the change in velocity as he entered the troposphere and let his breath out in relief. He was a little ahead of time. He eased the engine up again, slowly, just enough to compensate for the atmospheric drag.

Slow and steady was the key now, and Wilson described a huge arc in the air as he headed down. He had to get low enough to be sure the EMP would affect the Goa'uld base below, and he had to stay directly above it. He also had to stay high enough to avoid detection. He raised an arm, wiping sweat from his brow. The timer was on fifteen minutes. Much longer and he wouldn't be able to get back to the ship.

Swallowing against his dry throat, Wilson thumbed the control to release the glider he was towing. Immediately he felt the change in the mass of his craft. His heart rate slowed down a little. Jesus, he'd been so scared that wouldn't work.

Fourteen minutes, ten seconds. He gripped the glider controls and headed out of the atmosphere, pushing the acceleration to the limit. So much so the inertial dampers couldn't fully compensate; the increased G-force was uncomfortable but Wilson ignored it. It was no different from flying a plane. He didn't dare cut his speed now.

He flew as fast as the glider could take him, back to the safety of the ship.

* * *

Sam's eyes were on the countdown. "Come on, Gene," she whispered. She felt her dad move to her side. He said nothing. He didn't need to.

Twenty seconds to detonation.

Ten seconds.

Five.

Teal'c's voice shattered the tense silence. "Captain Wilson is entering the glider bay now."

"Shields!" Sam ordered, but her dad was ahead of her anyway. "Dad, can we move?"

"Too late," Jacob reported.

Sam looked up to see the viewscreen polarise as a small supernova lit up the sky.

* * *

  


### The SGA

The main building was a mess. Acrid smoke from electrical fires filled the air inside. Jack headed for the gate room quickly, Daniel trailing behind. The place was in chaos. The stargate was shut down, the iris open. Every computer bank they had was either dark or shorting; sparks were flying all over, illuminating the room like lightning. Carl was at the manual iris control. He looked around as Jack entered, though how he could have heard Jack over the noise, he didn't know.

Shrugging out of his tactical vest, Jack waded straight into the bad news. "Dialling computer?"

"Non-operational, Jack, sorry," Carl reported. He wiped sweat and grime from his face with his sleeve. "We've got some major circuits fried. They'll need to be replaced before we can use the gate again. There's no power to the gate and the iris control is screwed. I can't even close it manually."

Jack held back on the stream of obscenities he wanted to utter. The iris was locked open, they couldn't dial out, and the enemy now knew their location. This was not a good day. "The switching station?" he asked hopefully.

"Took a direct hit," Carl reported. "If you want power, it'll take every naqadah generator we've got."

"...And there's only us to hook 'em up," Jack concluded. Yep, definitely not a good day.

"You can dial out manually," Daniel offered.

"With no power?" Carl pointed out.

But Daniel nodded. "The stargate retains enough residual energy in its capacitors for a single outgoing wormhole to be created. It won't be sustainable for long with no power supply, but it will be enough for you...us...to go through. If that's what you want to do." That last was directed to Jack.

A one-shot deal. Well, that was better than nothing, but they were in the middle of an operation. Leaving wasn't really an option if they could avoid it. He shook his head. "Let's keep that option in reserve. Carl, did everyone else get out?"

"No. When we lost the gate there were three people left, and us. I sent 'em to the infirmary. I think it's still standing."

"Injuries?"

"One guy has a bad burn. The other just needed patching up, I think. I didn't look too close. Levi is playing doc."

Daniel said, "Jack, shall I...?"

Jack nodded curtly, his eyes on the damage all around them. "Yeah, see what you can do for them. And get your own wound looked at."

Daniel shook his head. "I'm fine. Entar has it under control. Oh, and..." Daniel's eyes took in still-sparking circuit boards and the smoke-filled control room, "...good luck."

"Gee, thanks," Jack drawled. Daniel had the easy job. This mess needed Carter and a platoon of techs. Jack didn't have the first idea how to put a working stargate together. He shrugged inwardly. He could wire a plug and tune an engine. If Carl gave clear instructions he could probably manage. Jack made a theatrical show of rolling up his sleeves. "Okay, boss, what needs fixing first?"

* * *

Emergency lighting was on, so at least some of the power was working, Daniel realised on his way to the infirmary. He didn't know the power systems of the base were set up, so he wasn't sure if that would help the stargate problem or not. He made his way to the briefing room first and picked up the LRVCD. If the power was down, it was likely communications were down, too: that would make the LRVCD the only way to contact their active teams. The device was quiescent when he found it. Daniel carried the device with him to the infirmary.

There, he found a sergeant trying to bandage another man's leg wound. The infirmary seemed largely unaffected by the attack. The lighting was dim, but there was no sign of damage or disruption. That was good.

Daniel set the LRVCD down and approached the pair with a friendly smile. "The general asked me to check on the wounded. Can you give me a report, Sergeant?"

"Are you a doctor?"

«_Of archaeology, sure_...»

«_I'm sure they'll find that helpful_.»

Daniel answered as honestly as he could. "Technically, no. But right now I'm the best you've got."

The man who was wounded spoke up. "I'm Captain Rogers, Marine. It's just a cut. See to Linwood." He nodded in the direction of the next bed. "Levi'll take care of me."

Daniel looked. Then moved, fast. The man on the bed was conscious, barely. He was badly burned; Daniel remembered how that felt. He examined the man as gently as he could. He had been wearing a T-shirt and much of it still clung to the burned skin. Linwood met Daniel's eyes as he examined him, but didn't speak. "What happened?" Daniel asked.

Rogers answered him. "We were manning the defence. Took a hit. Linwood was close to the blast zone. The rest of us only caught shrapnel."

«_Help me, Entar_.»

«_Morphine for the pain. You will need to get his clothing off him. If there is a healing device we can use that. If not, I am uncertain how best to help him, except the wounds must be kept clean at all costs_.»

«_A healing device is probably pushing it, Entar_.»

«_Selmak used one to heal us_.»

«_That's true, isn't it? I'll look_.»

«_The morphine first, my friend_.»

Daniel bent over the injured man, speaking quietly. "You're going to be okay. I'll get you something for the pain, then we'll see what else I can do to help."

Linwood nodded, still silent. Daniel understood his silence, suddenly: he remembered that struggle to keep the pain inside.

Luckily, the infirmary stores were unlocked and Warner had neat habits. Daniel found morphine and a syringe. He gathered up some sterile dressings. He hesitated over some other things, remembering hydration was important for burn victims and aware that Janet would probably set up an IV. But he wasn't certain how to do that, and wouldn't risk doing anything wrong. He had field medical training from his days with SG-1; he could apply CPR, administer an injection, and do first aid; much more than that was beyond him without the technology of the Tok'Ra. Entar understood the human body, and his knowledge could bolster Daniel's but watching _ER_ with Cassie wouldn't make him a competent medic. There was no sign of a healing device in the infirmary store.

Daniel carried the equipment out to the infirmary. Guided by Entar, he administered a dose of morphine, erring on the side of caution with the amount. "Sergeant Levi," he called. He waited for the sergeant to come to his side. "I need you to go to General O'Neill for me. Ask him if there's a Goa'uld healing device somewhere on base, and if there is, bring it to me."

"Yes, sir."

"Just Daniel," Daniel smiled. He looked down at his patient. "I'm going to cut your clothing away from the burn. It will be painful, but I'll be as gentle as I can. Tell me if it's too much, okay?"

Linwood nodded.

"Need a hand?" Rogers asked him. He was standing, apparently none the worse for the wounded leg.

"Yes, please." Daniel began to peel back the ruined shirt. He showed Rogers how to assist and started work. He hesitated as Linwood moaned, but continued working.

"W-wait." Linwood gasped, and Daniel obeyed, waiting. Linwood's voice was hoarse, each word forced through gritted teeth. "Cap...n...wha...Del..."

Daniel frowned. "I don't understand."

Rogers said grimly. "I do. He's asking after Delaney." He shook his head. "He's dead, man."

Linwood mumbled a denial; Daniel couldn't tell if it was meant as a contradiction or disbelief. Then Linwood grasped Rogers' hand and he words came out clearly. "I mean it! He was alive when you pulled me out."

Daniel exchanged a glance with Rogers. "Go," he suggested. "I can manage here." He didn't wait for Rogers to answer. He just concentrated on his patient. "Try to stay calm. If someone else is alive we'll find them. Now let me help you." He continued cutting slowly as Rogers left him alone.

When Sergeant Levi returned with the healing device, Daniel was hugely relieved. Linwood's burns were not extensive but they were deep and Entar knew no other way to treat them. With the healing device he could rebuild the damaged skin. Daniel let Entar take over and they let the healing device begin its work. The light it emitted shone very brightly in the dim emergency lights, illuminating the damaged skin. Slowly, the flesh began to heal.

It was then that Rogers returned, carrying another marine in his arms. "Jackson!" he shouted.

Entar shut off the healing device. He closed his eyes, letting Daniel take control again. Daniel gestured to Rogers to wait. "How do you feel?" he asked Linwood.

Linwood managed a smile. "I...okay. No pain."

That was the morphine more than the incomplete healing, but it was a good answer. "I'll be back," Daniel promised him.

The other man — Delaney — was far more badly hurt. He was unconscious as Rogers lowered him onto a bed and when Daniel examined him the cause was clear: he had a serious head injury. There was a great deal of blood. "What happened?" Daniel asked.

"The roof fell on him. On all of us, but he was the only one still inside. I saw him fall...I was sure he was dead."

Too many words. Daniel looked at Rogers sharply, reading guilt in his eyes. He understood. Jack would never leave a team member behind unless he was certain, absolutely certain, there was no hope. Though looking at Delaney's injury, Daniel wasn't so sure there was hope.

«_A very little, my friend. I believe he is bleeding into his brain_.»

«_How do I tell? I mean, we can't do an MRI_.»

«_Use the healing device. I will show you how_.»

Daniel swallowed hard and raised the device. Entar was right. The healing device might not be able to fix this, but they had to try. He looked up at Rogers, silently promising to do all he could, then started to work.

* * *

The control room looked like a spaghetti-fest explosion: cables covered most of the floor, overflowing into the gate room. Carl swore as one more crocodile clip slipped and bit into his finger. If this took much longer, Anubis and half the Goa'ulds in the galaxy would be coming through the vulnerable gate to exact various forms of revenge on the unfortunates still stranded on Stargate Alpha. They didn't need much of an excuse, apparently, or perhaps they just liked hurting people. Carl understood Jack's reasons for wanting to stay here. He had agreed with him, initially, but it was looking less and less like they were going to be able to restore the gate and iris.

"Jack, shouldn't we be abandoning the post for the beta site about now? I've read the regs recently, if you haven't — and don't give me that look, since when did you do _regs_? — and they definitely state..."

"I _know_ what they state, Carl," Jack interrupted, squirming his way out from under a console. "I'm a general now, remember? I've had to change my hobbies a bit."

Reading the regs was a "hobby" now? Carl grinned. "And?"

"And they don't exactly cover our current situation. For one thing we have a major op in progress with eight SG teams off world. For another, unless we can get the naqadah reactors up and running, there's only enough power in the gate capacitors to dial out once. What if our beta site is compromised now Anubis knows where we are? We can't dial out until we absolutely must."

"So there's no contingency plan for something like this?"

"Sure. But with wounded men in our infirmary, a one-shot deal on the dial-out and no decent power...no, nothing to cover it."

"D'oh." Carl tried for a laugh.

He got one. "Ah, ah. _My_ hobbies, remember?"

Carl grinned again and went back to fighting with crocodile clips.

* * *

It wasn't long after they'd started getting things up and running once more that Jackson reappeared. Carl had just gotten the computers to boot up. Not that they were actually _working_: they could send commands to the equipment but there wasn't enough power to get a response. But it was a start.

"Jack?"

O'Neill raised his head from the power readings he was watching and acknowledged Jackson's presence from over his shoulder. "How are they?"

"Rogers is fine: he just needed a band-aid. Linwood was badly burned. I used the hand device to heal the burn; a few days rest and he’ll be fine. Delaney...I don't know. He's breathing, but he took a hell of a blow to the head. Without a real doctor I don't think he's going to make it."

"We don't have a doctor."

Jackson nodded slowly. "I know. Entar and I have done all we can for him, Jack, but it's bad. Very bad. I do have some good news, though."

Carl adjusted the power for the thousandth time and looked up. "We need some good news."

"I heard from Colonel Kovacek's team on the LRVCD. Mission successful. They'll be here in about half an hour."

Jack nodded. "Well, it's about time! I'll need them to go back to Earth and report. We need some expert help to get our gate working again."

"Kovacek said he'd be back in touch for instructions. He must have been expecting this."

Jack smiled. "Well, I wasn't planning for an attack on the base, but I did mention to each of the mission COs that whoever got back first would be sent on to Earth. Vidrine needs a report ASAP." He glanced at the readout again. "Thirty five percent, Carl."

At last! Carl nodded curtly. "Thanks, Jack. Bringing the iris online now..."

Sparks flew down in the gate room as he hooked up the last connections.

"Power?" he demanded.

"Holding at thirty five," Jack reported.

"Good. Attempting to close the iris." Carl entered the command and held his breath.

_Bang!_ More sparks, and thick black smoke.

Carl swore under his breath. "Sorry, Jack. The circuits are shot."

"Not your fault, Carl." Jack turned back to Jackson. "When you hear from Kovacek, confirm they have no injuries and there's nothing I desperately need to know about. If there is, they can land. Otherwise, their instructions are to fly through to Earth ASAP. Report our status and ask for help. We need techs for the computers, some gate engineers and medical staff."

"Will do, Jack." Jackson shrugged, beginning to turn away. "Shame about the fishing," he added.

"Another time, Daniel. I promise."

The look on Jackson's face spoke volumes. "Don't, Jack. Don't make promises you might not be able to keep."

Carl couldn't see Jack's face. "Ah, Daniel...you know, for someone who knows so much, I sometimes think you don't know shit. You have to have something to look forward to. Tapes of games, Carter's latest amazing discovery, fishing. It keeps you going. Keeps you sane. I would have thought the old man you've got in your head with you would know that, if you don't."

And Carl understood something important, then, about the friendship these two men shared.

Jackson half-smiled and left them alone.


	28. Life And Death

The gilash'ad was located in a mountainous region. Built into the head of a V-shaped valley, it was a square building with a cannon-tower on each corner. The communications tower was a separate structure, standing before the gilash'ad like a sentinel guarding the way. The two ha'tak remained on the ground, one in the valley below the gilash'ad, the other on a landing site above, at the top of the mountain.

It was many years since Teal'c had led death gliders into battle; but this was not a skill a Jaffa can forget. His instruments formed an image of the site as he led his team — SG-1 and another Jaffa — into the atmosphere. He studied the communication tower anxiously. It appeared Captain Wilson's plan was successful: the top of the tower was still burning, and the energy readings from the structure were minimal.

Next, Teal'c surveyed the hat'ak on the mountain top. It was unshielded, but appeared operational. He scanned quickly for life signs and discovered a great many Jaffa aboard the hat'ak. Teal'c had a moment to regret the loss of life before a shining, focussed beam of energy came from above. Watching the energy readings as the weapon struck, Teal'c saw crackling energy engulf the hat'ak for a moment. Then it exploded, taking a substantial chunk of the mountainside with it. The sound was deafening. Debris was thrown upward and outwards, raining down upon the gilash'ad.

Teal'c waited long enough for gravity to do its work on the flying debris before leading his wing down to the attack.

They had discussed strategy in detail beforehand; Teal'c knew his team would follow his lead now. As they swept into the gilash'ad from behind the mountain, Teal'c fired an opening salvo at random targets. Then he targeted the nearest cannon. He fired as his glider passed and turned in a tight circle for a second pass. He was pleased to see Captain Wilson and Lieutenant Simmons follow his action, both hitting the target at close range.

Major Carter and Darn'ac brought up the rear. Their flying could have been rehearsed. They split apart as they swept over the gilash'ad, flying parallel at first then homing in on the target from different angles. They fired simultaneously at the base of the tower. It teetered for a moment. The cannon fell onto the roof of the gilash'ad, still burning.

Teal'c had an urge to congratulate them, but could not speak English over an open communication channel. He settled for telling Darn'ac _well done_. As he led his wing around for the next pass, he saw Raknor's wing approach. He targeted the second cannon, noting that the gunner inside was preparing to aim.

An instant before Teal'c fired, the cannon fired at him. Forced to evade, Teal'c turned his glider into a steep ascent. His shot went predictably wide. He turned as sharply as his speed permitted but had no need to fire again. His team had taken out the second tower and Raknor's wing were now closing on the third.

Teal'c looked for the second hat'ak. The ship had begun to launch and was rising into the air when Jacob Carter and Saddik destroyed it. That was not good news: if the hat'ak was able to launch, its communications system was also operational. However, the ship was now neutralised. It meant Teal'c could safely break the radio silence.

...Which he did, ordering his team to fan out as they continued to fire on the gilash'ad. He could see that the weapons of their death gliders were insufficient for this task. Too much of the gilash'ad was underground; they could not penetrate.

He opened a channel to their ha’tak. "Selmak," he said.

Selmak's voice came through at once. "I see it, Teal'c. We're coming in."

Teal'c saw their ha’tak descending over the mountain. Speaking in English, now, he warned everyone clear of the site.

"The real lab is underground," Major Carter declared.

Selmak answered her. "It will take everything we've got, but the hat'ak's weapons can penetrate the mountain. It will take some time. Return to base, Major. You can do no more down there."

"On our way," she responded promptly. Then, after a moment, "Teal'c?"

She had remembered he was leading this mission. Teal'c concurred with her order. "All gliders, return to base," he ordered, and they began to ascend toward their ship.

Suddenly, Major Carter shouted, "_Dad!_ Incoming!" Panic threaded through her voice.

Teal'c scanned the skies an immediately saw it: an enemy hat'ak descending. He repeated his order to return to base, adding "with all speed" and was pleased to see his team obey.

The enemy hat'ak's weapons raked the air, vaporising one — perhaps more — of their gliders.

Teal'c entered the glider bay and docked his glider quickly, painfully aware that for the others, the docking procedure would be far slower. An omission when they practised. He watched the returning gliders. Simmons. Wilson. Darn'ac. Major Carter.

He reported they were all inside as a second explosion rocked their ship.

"Teal'c! I need you in the peltac!" Selmak shouted.

Teal'c leapt down from his glider and set off at a run.

* * *

"Jackson, I'm fine, and the general needs everyone on duty." Linwood tensed as if to jump down from the bed.

Daniel placed a hand lightly on the man's chest. "Wait!" He sighed, beginning to appreciate Jack's impatience with Marines. Linwood seemed to think he was indestructible. "I can't deny you're needed, but you're needed fit. Now listen to me." Patiently, Daniel explained that Linwood had suffered serious burns. The healing device had repaired the damaged muscle and skin, but the repaired flesh was fragile, because it was new. Like a baby's skin. "Your body's natural healing ability will strengthen the new skin in a few days, but in the meantime if you overstrain yourself, you could do permanent damage."

"I'm fine," Linwood said again.

"Yes, you feel fine now. Look, I know you Marines pride yourselves on pushing through the pain barrier. I'm telling you that if you do that with this injury, you're going to regret it. I won't stop you from leaving, but I want you to keep that arm in a sling. If there's trouble, you can still handle a gun, okay?"

Finally, Linwood nodded. "Okay, doc." He looked over to the other occupied bed.

Daniel saw his glance and knew what was coming. He picked up the sling, beginning to place it around the young Marine's neck.

"Doctor Jackson, you healed my shoulder. Can't you do the same for Delaney?"

Daniel followed Linwood's gaze to his friend. He hated the answer he had to give. He shook his head unhappily. "His injury is a lot more complex. I stopped his internal bleeding and I was able to prevent the bruising getting any worse, but that's all."

"So, what happens to him now?"

Daniel stopped himself from shaking his head. "He's stable. It's possible he'll regain consciousness on his own. Until we're back in contact with Earth, that's all I can tell you." Daniel finished fixing the sling in place. "You're all set. Just remember what I said, okay."

Linwood nodded. "Thanks, doc."

* * *

Carl had finally ordered Jack out of the control room. The bulk of the work was done; he told Jack he could finish faster without his help...which Jack figured was a subtle way of saying Jack was in the way. Jack was the first to admit that most of the technology on the base was out of his league, so he took the hint. It freed him to visit the infirmary; he wanted to check on his wounded men, and on Daniel.

From the doorway he could see Daniel working. He was doing something with the Tok'Ra communication device. Jack approached cautiously, in case Daniel was talking to someone: the LRVCD might pick him up and if Daniel was still playing Goa'uld he didn't need Jack in the picture. Close enough to see the device clearly, Jack thought it was turned off. The ball-thing wasn't glowing, at least.

"Whatcha doing?"

Daniel didn't look up. "Looking over the data crystal we got from Zipacna's ship."

"Anything interesting?"

"A lot." Daniel's attention was still on the crystal. "When I can I'll make you a copy. There's a lot here you need to know, Jack. But without — "

"Just hit the highlights, would you," Jack interrupted.

Daniel met his eyes then. "Zipacna was on a survey mission. He's working for Anubis; apparently he's quite high in the ranks. Anubis is looking for a planet to turn into a major base of ops, and this was on his list of places to check out. The attack was opportunistic: I'll bet Zipacna couldn't believe his luck when he realised what he'd found here."

Zippy was checking out a list of planets. A horrible thought occurred to Jack suddenly. "Daniel, tell me our beta site isn't on that list."

Daniel nodded. "It's not. But we have to assume Anubis now knows where you are. He'll take time to plan a new attack, but he _will_ come."

"We'll be gone by then," Jack said. If the beta site wasn't safe, they'd find somewhere else. Come to think of it, the beta site probably _wasn't_ entirely safe: the address came from the same list of non-Goa'uld planets as the SGA, and it seemed Anubis had the same list. _One problem at a time, O'Neill_... "Give me the good news."

Daniel blinked. "Jack...that _was_ the good news." He turned back to the device. "I know why we failed with the self-destruct on the ship. I knew it had been upgraded, but look at this stuff. This isn't Goa'uld technology. Jack...I think it's Ancient technology."

_Oh, crap_. "How is that possible?"

"I don't know. I'm not even certain it is, it just looks like it. I mean...weapons hugely more powerful than Goa'uld energy weapons, upgraded shields...shit, this says the shields are effective against both Tollan and Asgard weapons. The ship is faster, too, and..." Daniel looked up, "Well, the self-destruct Entar set in the computer core doesn't work the same way in this ship. It needed a confirmation command from the pel'tac. I'm sorry, Jack. Entar's plan was never going to work."

"You didn't know, and it was a good idea." Jack's response was automatic, his mind reeling from Daniel's revelations. What were they supposed to do against weaponry like that? What could their _allies_ do? "Is there _any_ good news?"

"Not much. Good news from the Tok'Ra point of view: it looks like Anubis doesn't control much territory, so if our teams succeed on this mission there's a chance the system lords will finish the job for us. This technology is scary, but it's all he has. I know where to find him now, too. Zipacna just made my mission much easier."

"You're still determined to do that, then." That earned him a look from Daniel. One of those looks that would burn paint off the walls. _Geez, Daniel, can you blame me for being worried? You almost died. Again._

Daniel said, "You think I'm going to screw it up." It wasn't a question.

Jack knew he should deny it, but instead he shrugged. "Do you blame me?"

"I suppose...if I try to see it from your perspective, I can see why you're worried."

"But you're not."

"Jack, the Alkar mission was a rush job. The data Selmak found on Tanith's alkesh needed urgent action. I went in impersonating a specific Goa'uld — that's always risky — and our intel had some serious holes in it. Even so, the mission went okay. Most of what went wrong happened after I did what I went in there to do."

"So, what. You figure second time lucky?"

"I've got time to prepare, and I know it sounds more dangerous, but it should be much easier. Infiltration is what the Tok'Ra do best. And...I know you think I'm not well suited to this work, but it won't be me. It will be Entar. I'm just along for the ride."

_Is that supposed to be comforting?_ "What if..." Jack broke off as his radio crackled. "O'Neill here."

"Jack, we've got an incoming wormhole."

"On my way, Carl."

"Right behind you," Daniel said. Jack didn't look back, assuming Daniel would keep up as he hurried out. It seemed a bit soon for this to be contact from Earth, but maybe he'd underestimated the speed of those ships. If they were lucky, this was the cavalry riding to their rescue. If not...

* * *

Daniel saved his work and hurried after Jack. Jack walked so quickly, it wasn't until they had almost reached the gate room that Daniel caught up with him.

Jack spoke as if Daniel had been beside him all along. "Daniel, how soon can you make a copy of that data?"

"It depends. On Earth I've got a computer interface for Tok'Ra technology. I could copy it in a few minutes. You should have one here, too, but so far I..." he broke off, staring at the shimmering stargate.

Several people were coming down the ramp. People from Earth, Daniel noted with relief, but it wasn't them who caught his attention.

It was the woman who stepped through the event horizon as he and Jack entered the room. She was wearing fatigues instead of her usual lab-coat, but it made no difference. Daniel would have known Janet blindfolded in the dark.

Daniel knew there was a possibility she would come; Jack _had_ requested a doctor. But he hadn't let himself think about it. Too many other things on his mind. Now she was here.

Daniel crossed the space between them at light speed. Janet was in his arms. He heard himself saying her name, over and over. She leaned into him, her hands sliding up his back. He looked down into her eyes, raising a hand to cup her cheek. She still hadn't spoken, but it was all there in her eyes, shining with tears.

"I'm sorry, Jan. I'm so, so sorry." Gently, Daniel gathered her tears on the edge of his thumb.

The next moment they were kissing. He had no idea how long that moment lasted, he holding her tight against him in the middle of the ramp, heat rising between them as they kissed. Daniel neither noticed nor cared that they had an audience and Entar, uncharacteristically silent, didn't interrupt.

Jack did. With a too-pointed cough.

Daniel broke off the kiss reluctantly. Someone started clapping, and the applause spread around the room, accompanied by comments Daniel didn't listen to and a wolf-whistle he couldn't avoid hearing. He felt heat of a different kind rise into his cheeks.

«_You asked for that_.»

"This is very nice, kids, but could you two get a room later? We've got work for the doc."

Jack's sarcasm brought him back to earth quickly. Daniel drew away from Janet. "He's right," he said. "I'll take you to the infirmary."

Janet hesitated for a moment, struggling to rebuild her composure. She took a deep breath, bent to pick up her medkit, and followed him down the ramp. "Tell me about my patients, Daniel."

* * *

Sam grabbed for the nearest console as another explosion rocked the hat'ak. Sparks flew from somewhere and the lights flickered. Keeping a grip on the console for balance, she called, "Dad!"

"Shields are holding, but that one hurt us, Sam." Jacob shouted back. "Rak'nor, can you divert anything else?"

"Not if you want weapons and life support," the Jaffa reported.

That sounded bad. Sam pulled herself around the console to look at the readouts. Yeah, it was bad. She made a decision. "Rak'nor, cut life support to the lower decks, we're not using them anyway. See if that helps. Dad, we're close to burn out here. We can't keep this up." They needed a new plan, and fast.

Saddik looked up from his position at navigation. "We will enter Bastet's territory in less than twenty minutes, Major Carter."

_And I thought it couldn't get any worse_. They couldn't afford to enter Bastet's territory. Fleeing toward the territory of one of the system lords was part of the plan, but actually entering that territory would expose the deception. She heard her dad swear under his breath.

"Options?" Sam asked quickly.

Teal'c was manning the weapons. "We must stand and fight."

Wilson, beside Teal'c, shook his head. "At this point, that's suicide."

"Can we try deception?" someone else suggested. Sam turned to the speaker.

"To what purpose, Captain?" she asked him.

"To buy time. Take 'em out."

Sam raised her eyebrows. Would time buy them anything? She looked at her dad.

"It's a long shot, Sam," Jacob said, "but there is something we can try. It'll buy us enough time to abandon ship, at least."

"Abandon ship? Then what do we do?"

"Head for the nearest stargate and hope."

In other words, the chances were pretty slim. The knowledge was oddly calming. Sam nodded. "Go for it."

Jacob nodded. "Rak'nor, take weapons. Teal'c..." he gestured, telling Teal'c to move away from the viewscreen. "Saddik, call them and negotiate our surrender. Stall as long as you can. Sam, I'll need you here. Everyone not Jaffa, get out of sight."

Everyone moved to obey. Sam joined her father at the console, staying out of the range of the visual communications. Saddik barked an order, in Goa'uld, and the viewscreen flickered to life, revealing the face of their enemy. Zipacna.

Sam recognised him, but pushed her surprise aside. There was no time. "What do you need?" she asked.

"I'm going to piggyback a signal onto the comm, see if I can get into the other ship's systems. I need you to set up an interference pattern so they won't detect what I'm doing. You know how?"

"Piece of cake," she answered, with far more confidence than she felt. She reached for the controls. "I hope you know what you're doing, Dad."

He reached across to touch her arm for a moment. "We're trapped, Sam. You know we can't let them take us alive. This will either work, or kill us all. Even odds."

She met her father's eyes, grateful for his honesty, resentful of the truth. "I'm not ready to give up yet." She had known — they all knew, going in — that this could happen. Saying it aloud made it too real.

Jacob's smile was sad. "That's my girl." They both went back to work.

While Saddik blustered in Goa'uld behind them, father and daughter worked as a practised team. Sam concentrated on her own task, synchronising the interference fluctuations with Jacob's signal.

"That's interesting," he muttered.

"Dad?"

"I've got a backdoor. But that suggests there's a Tok'Ra on board and there can't be. We don't have anyone inside Anubis' ranks."

"Could be a trap, Dad."

"Could be," he agreed. He called something to Saddik, in Goa'uld. Sam saw Saddik acknowledge with a gesture. She wished she knew the language better. She could read Goa'uld, but the spoken language was a problem.

"Sam, get your people to the death gliders," Jacob ordered. He was still working.

Abruptly, his intention became clear. She looked up stubbornly. "I'm not leaving you behind."

"Sam. Do it. Now."

There was no time to disagree. Sam shook her head, but moved to obey.

* * *

On Teal'c's signal, Selmak opened the glider bay doors. They were using the bay that was out of visual range of Zipacna's ship. It wasn't much protection: if he was monitoring, the hat'ak's sensors would tell him the gliders were launching. But it was an extra few seconds grace. Every second counted, now.

He looked at Saddik. "How long?"

"Two minutes."

"You'd better get to a glider, Saddik. I can finish this from here."

"And leave you alone, old friend? I think not."

Selmak frowned. «_That's not like Saddik_,» he commented silently.

«_A few things on this trip have been unlike him, Selamk. I thought I was misremembering_.»

«_Perhaps not_...» Selmak finished setting the ship's self-destruct. "Launch!" he ordered Sam. After a brief delay, he heard her echo his order. «_They will survive_,» the symbiot promised.

«_Now let's make sure _we_ do_.» Jacob returned. Selmak looked over the controls one last time. The two hat'ak were very close together now. Their plan should work.

The "backdoor" they had discovered in the system of Zipacna's ship was a standard Tok'Ra code. It was normal operating procedure for any Tok'Ra assigned to a Goa'uld mothership. They placed an instruction in the hat'ak's system: what Sam would call a computer virus. If undetected, it then worked like a "Trojan horse" which another Tok'Ra could exploit, to gain limited access to the ship's system commands. Very limited access, in this case, but Selmak thought it was enough. He had linked the shields of Zipacna's ship to their own. When Zipacna lowered his shields — which he would have to do in order to send a boarding party across — Selmak would disable the shields of both ships. When the self-destruct activated, both ships should be encompassed in the explosion.

The backdoor remained a mystery, though. Who could have placed it there?

«_A mystery we can solve when Zipacna is dead_,» Jacob pointed out firmly.

Zipacna's voice came over the comm, demanding they lower their shields. Selmak and Saddik exchanged a glance. Saddik lowered the shields. A moment later, Zipacna's hat'ak did the same. Selmak sent the command. He activated the self-destruct countdown.

They had one minute to reach an escape pod or a glider. He ran for the exit.

Saddik blocked his way. "Ne'l yashek kree, Tok'Ra."

«_Oh, sh_—»

* * *

The air was humming with energy as the mothership descended over Stargate Alpha base. Twenty eight hours before, Brigadier General Jack O'Neill had watched a similar ship descend, while death gliders filled his sky in a battle he knew they could not win.

"You're sure this is one of ours?" Jack asked Daniel. He managed to force out a grin so the question would seem like a joke.

Daniel answered seriously. "Colonel Sumner called in when they entered the system. It's them."

"Have you heard from SG-10 or SG-1 yet?"

"No, not yet. SG-10 had the most distant assignment; I wouldn't expect to hear from them yet."

_And SG-1?_ Jack tore his eyes away from the descending hat'ak to look at Daniel. He saw his own worry mirrored in his friend's eyes: they both knew SG-1 should have called in by now. They had known there was a chance one of their teams wouldn't be coming back...

No. Not giving up without a fight. "We're past the twenty four hours, Daniel. I think you should try contacting them."

"Well, I can try, Jack, but — "

"That's an order, Daniel." Jack knew there were risks but they hadn't planned for an attack on the SGA. This place was known to the Goa'uld now. Jack was eager to be gone, and for that to happen he needed everyone back.

"Very well, General," Daniel said stiffly.

_Aw, don't be that way, Daniel._ The hat'ak was on the ground now. Jack started to walk toward it as part of the ship cracked, revealing the opening. First to emerge was Colonel Sumner's team.

"Looks like we missed a party," Sumner remarked.

"Looks like," Jack agreed. "Do you have any injuries among your team, Colonel?"

"Nothing serious. A few scratches."

"Good. I need you and your team to reinforce the defence of this base. Captain Rogers will fill you in."

Sumner didn't waste time with questions, just nodded and called to his team.

* * *

Janet saw Daniel in the doorway of the infirmary. She stood, feeling joints creak and tense muscles protest. She forced a smile to her face, but inside she didn't feel much like smiling. She and Daniel had fallen easily into their usual patterns of behaviour: putting aside mention of personal issues until the crisis was past. She knew how important it was to stay focussed, especially with a patient in critical condition, but she badly needed to talk to him. _Really_ talk. And to hold him and kiss him and prove to herself he's really alive. Maybe tonight. _No, definitely tonight_, she promised herself.

"Any change?" Daniel asked her.

"No." Janet took his hand as he reached her, and he let her do it. She felt better. For a moment she relaxed, leaning her head against his shoulder. The walked together to Delaney's bed.

"I need a full MRI, but that's impossible here, with the base on minimal power. As soon as the stargate is operational he needs to go through to Earth."

"Are you sure it's safe to move him?" Daniel asked her. His hand was warm in hers.

Gate travel could sometimes exacerbate injuries. Not seriously, and in most cases the effect was negligible but with injuries as serious as Delaney's it was a concern. Janet met Daniel's worried eyes. "Normally I'd say no, but if you're sure your healing device drained the edema and stopped the internal bleeding..."

"...I'm sure."

"...Then it's safer to move him than it is to keep him here. We might not be able to save him back on Earth, but if he stays here, he'll certainly die. Unless there's something more you can do?" she added hopefully. Janet checked Delaney's IV and adjusted the flow. Daniel was silent, watching her do it. She looked up, questioning.

Daniel's eyes were troubled. "Entar is willing to try, Janet, but..."

She understood suddenly. "You're not sure what needs fixing, so you're afraid of making it worse."

"Something like that. The device does some of the work on its own, but it needs cognitive direction to work efficiently. Half measures won't cut it in this case."

As she moved around the bed Daniel reached for her hand, pulling her close to him. She smiled, and this time it was genuine. They both felt a need to be close to each other. "Daniel..." she began.

Behind them, an alarm beeped shrilly. Janet whirled, her eyes going to the monitor, seeing the suddenly irregular heartbeat. Delaney's body began to shake. A seizure was not unexpected given the head injury...

Daniel moved past her swiftly, placing his hands flat on Delaney's shoulders, holding him down as a fresh convulsion began. "Janet, what do you need?"

She started to tell him, as she would a nurse. She changed her mind quickly. "I'll get it. Hold him, keep his airway clear." Janet didn't wait for him to reply. A crash cart was prepped already. She filled a syringe and administered the anti-convulsant directly into the muscle. Daniel was holding him still. The seizure died away as the drug took effect but his heart stopped beating as she watched. She checked him over swiftly. Airway — clear. Breathing — no sign.

Janet reached for the paddles, charging them to a medium level. Thank god these carts carried a battery, so this wasn't affected by the base power issues. "Clear!" she snapped. She shocked the patient once, her eyes on the heart monitor. Nothing.

"Again," Daniel said softly.

She increased the charge, already aware it was useless, but as unwilling as he to give up. "Clear!"

No change.

Janet met Daniel's eyes, shaking her head. "He's gone, Daniel." She checked her watch automatically. _Death occurred at 1803._

Daniel turned away. Janet knew that tension across his shoulders. She followed him. "There was nothing you could have done, Daniel. Delaney had a slim chance at best." The words were nothing but the truth, but she knew he wouldn't fully believe her. She knew what it was like to lose a patient. Knew exactly what he was feeling.

Daniel looked at her, a bitter twist to his mouth. He said nothing. He walked away.

Janet didn't follow. She returned to the bed and closed Delaney's eyes. She lifted the sheet and covered his body. Then she made the necessary notes in the medical log. Finally, her heart heavy, she left to tell the general of the loss.

* * *

They ran for the gliders. Somewhat less organised than their earlier mission, Sam shared a glider with Teal'c. This placed him in the pilot's seat.

She said nothing as they prepared for launch, but her head was chanting, _We can't leave them behind. I won't leave him behind. _

She heard Selmak's order to launch. Part of her wanted to refuse the order. She couldn't leave the ship, not now, with her dad still here, still in danger. But she was _Major Carter_ first. Her dad, of all people, understood that. She pushed her feelings aside and repeated the order.

"Dad, get to a glider," she urged, speaking into the dead comm. Only Teal'c could hear her, and he would never tell anyone.

Teal'c launched their glider. They hung there in space, still inside the hat'ak's shields. Waiting. They dared not flee too early or Zipacna's ship would detect them.

Sam checked the navigation. The nearest planet with a stargate was several hours away by death glider. It was further than they were designed to fly. It was the only option they had left.

Calculating a course, Sam quickly uploaded the information to the rest of the gliders. She opened the comm. "Everybody ready?" She waited while the confirmations came back. "The instant the shields come down, get the hell out of here. You've got a long way to go. Wilson?"

"Ready, Major."

"If Teal'c and I aren't with you when you reach the stargate, don't wait for us. You know where to go. No questions, just do it."

"Roger that, Major."

_Good man._ She shut off the comm. "Teal'c, get us to a safe distance but don't follow the others. We'll wait for my dad and Saddik, okay?"

"As you wish, Major Carter," Teal'c replied.

The shields came down.

Teal'c sent their glider into maximum acceleration. The other gliders formed a wing behind them. Teal'c dropped speed, allowing the others to overtake. Sam watched her team leave. They would be fine.

The glider turned, giving Sam a good view of the two hat'ak. Sam watched the ships on her instruments, waiting to see a glider emerge or an escape pod launch. The seconds crawled by.

"Come on, Dad. Come on." Sam's fist was clenched, her knuckles white.

The view by instruments was more detailed than anything her eyes could see. So Sam saw the exact moment the self-destruct of their stolen hat'ak activated. She watched the chain reaction begin. Watched with growing horror as it spread through the ship and still no escape pod launched. She knew it couldn't be stopped. Her heart was in her mouth as she finally tore her eyes away from the monitors and looked up...

...Looked up to see the ship explode...

...explode in a ball of flame that engulfed the other hat'ak...

...the other hat'ak had no time to raise its shields and began to burn...

...burn and then explode into thousands of fragments and not one of them an escaping Tok'Ra...

_Dad!!!_

* * *

Jack blinked against the sudden glare as the corridor lights came on. "Let there be light," he drawled. About time they got the power back up. The lights, admittedly, were low priority compared to the gate computers and the iris. So the lights coming back on meant very good news. Jack hoped so, anyway.

He glanced at Janet, who returned a weak smile at his joke. A moment later her frown returned. "Daniel didn't tell me any of this," she remarked. She sounded pissed.

Jack was beginning to wonder if mentioning Daniel was wounded had been a good idea. She was the doctor: she was entitled to know. Then again, she was also his girlfriend. He shrugged, belatedly trying to make light of it. "Well, you know Daniel. He's bounce-back-boy. I'm sure if it were serious he would have told you."

Her pursed lips were pale. "I'm not so sure, General."

From the corridor ahead of them, Jack heard a voice shouting. At first he couldn't make out the words, then he realised they were Goa'uld. As was the voice. Automatically, his hand fell to his sidearm, though he knew it had to be Daniel/Entar he could hear. Jack, frowning, heard the same phrase repeated. He didn't understand Goa'uld but he could hear the urgency in Entar's voice.

_Something's wrong._ Jack quickened his pace, striding ahead of Janet. He reached the doorway and had to stop, because the LRVCD was active. He couldn't risk it picking up his image in case they had eavesdroppers. So he waited, hovering tensely in the doorway until Entar shut it down.

The device shut off with a flash of light. There was a moment of silence, then Daniel's voice. "Damn. Shit, fuck, crap!" Then something in a language Jack didn't recognise.

"Problem, Daniel?" He tried to make it casual.

Daniel turned around. For an instant he had eyes only for Janet, who had reached Jack's side. Then he raised his eyes to Jack.

"SG six and ten are on their way back. ETA about five hours. Kanan said there's a problem with their hat'ak. It was damaged during their mission, or they'd be back sooner."

That wasn't like Daniel. He usually — no, _invariably_ — went straight to whatever was bothering him. Must be the snake in his head making him tell it in order. Jack nodded, grateful for the news. "Okay. Good. Now what's the bad news?"

Jack saw Daniel's eyes close and recognised pain. A lead weight settled in his guts. A moment before Daniel spoke, Jack knew what he was going to say.

"Jack, I can't raise SG-1."


	29. Consequences

"You can't raise SG-1? What does that _mean_?" Jack demanded, afraid he knew the answer already.

He saw Daniel swallow. "They had two long range visual communication devices, just like the other teams. Selmak had one and as far as I know Teal'c had the other. Neither of them is responding, Jack."

"Out of range?"

"Not if they're in this galaxy."

"Well, are you sure your signal is getting through? I mean, there could be interference, or — "

"Another hat'ak could generate a jamming signal, but if that's the reason I can't raise them, it's got to be Zipacna. They can't stand against that ship, Jack."

Jack didn't need to be told. He remembered how upgraded Zippy's ship was. The hell of it was, there was nothing they could do. Nothing at all. He met Daniel's eyes; saw his own fears there like a mirror. Jack ran a hand through his hair. "We don't have any choice but to wait it out. Don't think the worst until we have confirmation." As he spoke, he realised _we don't have any choice_ wasn't quite the truth. There _was_ something he could do.

Daniel's eyes widened slightly. "You've thought of something, haven't you?"

Occasionally the way Daniel could read his mind was a pain in the ass. Jack nodded. "We gave the attack order...what, about twenty six hours ago?"

Daniel checked. "Twenty five, forty eight. Close enough."

"So whatever happened to SG-1 is probably over now."

"That's what scares me," Daniel admitted.

Jack understood that. The best case scenario seemed to be the comm. was being jammed. If that was the case, SG-1 were probably still alive, at least for now. Worst case scenario...Jack didn't want to consider it any more than Daniel did.

Daniel was staring at Jack suddenly. "I'd forgotten. You set up an escape route."

Jack nodded.

"Where?" Daniel was on his feet, talking at top-speed again. "Come on, Jack, I know you wanted to play this close to your chest, but the mission's over now. Wherever they are, I can take a ship or go by stargate..."

"No," Jack snapped. "_You_ can't. That's why I didn't tell you earlier." He realised abruptly that Daniel was _not_ going to be happy about this. And Doc Fraiser was standing right next to him; he didn't want her to witness this, either. Apparently, he had no choice. Reluctantly, Jack explained: "Their orders, if everything went bad and they needed to gate home, were to go to Cimmeria." Because if any Goa'uld or Jaffa followed them there, Thor's Hammer would take out the pursuit.

Daniel's expression shut down. He stared at Jack in silence for a moment. Then his eyes narrowed and when he spoke his voice was tight with anger. "You son of a bitch. What about the Tok'Ra on those teams? And the Jaffa?"

"They were supposed to go someplace else. First. If there was time."

"And if there wasn't? What the hell were you thinking?"

Jack barked right back. "We were in deep shit. I was protecting my people!"

"What happened to 'no one gets left behind'?" Then, his heart sinking, Jack saw comprehension dawn in his friend's face. Daniel knew him _far_ too well. "Jesus, you didn't care, did you? This is about the Tok'Ra. You thought we'd screw you, so you arranged to screw us right back."

Jack couldn't deny it. And wouldn't admit it. Did he expect the Tok'Ra to "screw them"? No, not exactly. But almost every time they co-operated with the Tok'Ra on a mission, something went wrong. And it was usually because the Tok'Ra had their priorities all messed up. So, yeah, when it became clear they would be relying heavily on Tok'Ra help for this mission, Jack was worried. So he set things up to give his people a chance to get out if the worst happened.

He ignored Daniel's question. "I'll send a team out to Cimmeria as soon as we've got power to the gate." Which was, with luck, right now. "In the meantime," he glanced at Fraiser, beside him, "the Doc here wants to check you out — "

"You can't be — " Daniel began, and for a moment Jack was afraid he was going to be treated to a full-on-Jacksonesque-tantrum. Daniel broke off suddenly. "Alright. I guess there's no more I can do here." He walked toward them both. Face to face with Jack, he looked into his eyes, still furious. "This isn't over," he spat, before leaving the room with Janet hurrying to catch up with him.

* * *

Carl Miller had been working around the clock. And it showed, Jack saw, watching his friend struggle to his feet as he entered the control room. Carl's clothing was oil-stained and rumpled, his face unshaven (Jack's too — he needed to take care of that soon) and his hair looked like he'd taken a dive into an oil-tank. But his eyes, his eyes were still alert. That was Carl, Jack remembered. He could keep going for a long time, alert and useful, but he'd drop like a narcoleptic when it was over.

"Do we have iris control yet?" Jack asked him.

"Only manual."

"That's good...isn't it?"

Carl shook his head. "Sorry, Jack. I thought you knew." He took a deep breath, swaying on his feet. "What we call manual control of the iris isn't manual at all; it's just independent of the main computers. A different set of buttons to push. The controls are shot. The techs could replace them, but that's costly and we're about to abandon this site. So instead we've set up a genuine manual control. It works, but the iris is damned heavy. It takes a couple of minutes to open or close it by hand."

"But it _does_ work?"

"It works."

Jack breathed a small sigh of relief. "Good. Now get some rest, Carl. You look like hell."

"I'll be alright."

"That was an order. How long have you been awake?"

"I dunno. But where am I supposed to sleep? The residential block took a hit, remember?"

Oh. Yeah. "The infirmary is intact. We'll all be sleeping there tonight. Now, go. I mean it, Carl. You're not good to me in this state."

"Yes, sir." Carl gave him a grin as he left. For a moment, Jack considered sending someone to make sure Carl didn't fall down on the way, but he looked okay. He turned back to the gate room, his mind turning to more urgent business. "Colonel Sumner," he called.

The marine colonel was quick to respond. "General."

"I want you to go through the gate to Cimmeria. SG-1 aren't responding to our signals. With any luck you'll find them there."

"I'll get my team ready, sir."

Jack shook his head. "Just you and one other. I can't spare more personnel. Don't bother with a GDO; they tell me the computer can receive a signal but can't decode it. Radio in when you're ready to come home and wait until you're told it's safe to come through. It'll take a while to get the iris open for you."

"Got it, General. We'll be ready to go in ten."

* * *

Daniel had changed, at Janet's insistence, into one of those horrible medical gowns. Now he sat on the edge of an infirmary bed, his bare legs dangling over the side, while she traced the remaining scar from the bullet wound on his back.

"You should have told me, Daniel." Janet's voice was accusing.

"If it were a problem, I would have," he answered.

"Who shot you?"

Daniel found himself smiling, knowing what a truthful answer would sound like. "Jack," he answered, then added, "He didn't shoot me. It was a ricochet. The bullet didn't do any serious damage, and Entar is healing it. It'll be gone by tomorrow."

"Okay. But you should still have told me, Daniel. The moment I stepped through the gate I became responsible for the health of every person here. That includes you." She walked around the bed to face him. "Don't protect me, Daniel. Please."

He reached for her, brushing her cheek gently with his fingers. "I'm not protecting you, Jan, I promise. I didn't tell you because Entar said it's fine. Healed."

She moved away from his touch, avoiding his eyes. "I think we should talk, Daniel."

«_Uh-oh_.» Daniel nodded. He was not looking forward to this conversation, but she was right. It was time. "Is it okay if I dress first?"

"Yes. I'll — " Janet broke off as Carl entered the infirmary. She walked toward him. "Hello. Do you need..."

"Jack told me to get some sleep," Carl told her. "This is the only place left intact where there's a bed. Is it okay if I crash here?"

«_So much for our private talk_.»

Janet nodded. "Of course. Do you need something to help you sleep?"

"Not me. I'll be out as soon as I hit the pillow." He looked at Daniel suddenly. "Hey, if I'm interrupting something, don't mind me. I really will be out like a light." Carl's sly grin was directed at Janet, clearly indicating what he thought he might have interrupted.

Daniel chose not to dignify that with a reply.

Janet, on the other hand... "I don't find that amusing, Mr Miller. Are you _quite certain_ you don't need a doctor?" Her frosty tone carried visions of embarrassing internal exams and cold metal instruments.

Carl wasn't fazed. "Maybe later, Major. Goodnight." He selected a bed at the far end of the infirmary and was — as far as Daniel could tell from a distance — true to his word: unconscious as soon as he was horizontal.

Daniel pulled on his clothing quickly. He would have preferred a change of clothing; he'd changed his shirt to hide the wound earlier but the rest was getting a bit ripe. Later, he promised himself.

«_What do I do now?_»

«_Talk to her, my friend. I am here_.»

Daniel smiled inwardly. «_You always are, Entar_.» Janet was outside the storeroom, arranging medicines on a tray while she waited for him. Daniel approached quietly, putting his arms around her from behind. "Will it help if I say I'm sorry?" he asked her softly.

She turned in his arms. "For what?"

"As if you don't know. Janet, I wouldn't hurt you for the world. I love you." He lifted a hand to her face, caressing. His fingers found a stray lock of hair and gently brushed it back. "What happened — it wasn't something I could control."

"No one can control when they die, Daniel."

"I'm not dead..."

«_But she thought otherwise, my friend_.»

"I thought you were."

"I know," he said, answering both Janet and Entar at once. He leaned in to kiss her.

Janet covered his lips with her fingers, gently but firmly pushing him away. "Daniel, please just listen."

Hurt, he nodded, letting his arms drop.

Janet backed away from him a little. "I understand you had to go on that mission. I even support it. But I nearly fell apart when they told me you were gone, and I don't know how many times I can make it through that." She looked into his eyes. "You said, before you left, where there's one mission, there's another."

Daniel closed his eyes. "I'm afraid that's true."

"Then you'll be leaving again soon."

He was afraid to look at her. It was clear, now, where this was going. Even having reached a similar conclusion himself, it hurt so much to hear this. To understand what he was losing. It hurt even more when he opened his eyes to see the pain in hers. «_God, Jan_...»

"Would you ask me not to go, Jan? Knowing what's out there?"

"Would you stay if I asked?"

«_No. I couldn't_.» Daniel's throat tightened and he couldn't reply, but he knew she read the answer in his face. He felt his eyes sting with tears. "I wish..." he began.

«_Oh, no, Daniel. Do not be less than truthful. She deserves that much from you_.»

Daniel stopped, taking a deep breath. «You're right.» "No. I...I need to be honest with you, if I can. I've learned some things in the past few days."

Janet was looking up at him, listening.

Truth. Right. Not so easy. "When I volunteered to blend with Entar, I didn't fully realise what it would mean. Just now, I was about to say if I'd understood I wouldn't have done this, but that's a lie. I became his host to save his life; I don't think there's anything that could have stopped me that day. But..." Daniel swallowed back tears, "what I'm saying is I thought I was choosing between life and death for my friend. I didn't understand that the real choice was between Entar...and you."

"What do you mean, Daniel? Entar wants you to leave me?" There was a sob in her voice and Daniel reached for her hand.

"If you put it that way, no. It's not something he wants. We've tried to make it work, this threesome, and I thought things were okay with us. But you've never been completely happy since Entar joined with me, and..."

Daniel saw a single tear fall from her eye. He lifted a hand to her face, brushing that tear away gently with his thumb. Under the harsh lights of the infirmary, Janet's dark, unhappy eyes dominated her face. She seemed very young, very vulnerable. Daniel reached for the words he needed, knowing nothing could make this painless. "Janet, I love you. I would like nothing better than to go home with you, make a life and maybe a family with you. Get a house in the country with a white picket fence and a big shaggy dog. I used to see that in our future." He shook his head sadly. "But that's not possible any more. I _am_ a Tok'Ra. I can't change that, whatever I might want. Knowing what you've been through, I can't ask you to wait for me again, and I can't promise, this time, that I'll be back. My love, I know you well enough to know, when you said we should talk, you were going to say something like this. Weren't you?"

Janet nodded, tears spilling down her cheeks.

Daniel leaned close, and this time she didn't pull away. He kissed her gently on her lips. A goodbye. "I will always love you, Jan. You deserve better than I can give you."

She moved closer to him, and he held her close. Her voice muffled against his chest, Janet said, "Daniel? You _will_ be careful, won't you?"

He smiled through tears. "That much, I promise."

* * *

Sam sat on the grass, the damp of the earth slowly seeping into her BDUs, chilling her body. She didn't notice the cold. The rough bark of the tree left an imprint on her cheek where she was leaning against it. She stared into the campfire burning a few metres away, mesmerised by the flickering flames.

It had turned from twilight to night while she sat there, unmoving. When they first reached Cimmeria Gairwyn greeted Sam joyfully, as an old friend, telling her she was welcome and safe. Sam tried to respond to Gairwyn's warmth, but found it impossible to smile. With perfect sensitivity she did not press, but allowed Teal'c to move between them. Teal'c was the one who led Sam to the village. Teal'c fended off the inevitable questions from the rest of her team and issued the necessary orders. Teal'c took Gairwyn to one side, explaining — though Sam had already told her on their previous visit — that they could not leave Cimmeria until their friends came for them. Gairwyn assured Teal'c that they were welcome to the sanctuary of Cimmeria for as long as they wanted to stay.

So here Sam stayed, her mind numb and silent, watching a campfire burn.

After a time, Teal'c cam and sat beside her. He carried a bowl of food in his hands: something thicker than soup but not exactly stew. It smelled of beef.

"You must eat, Major Carter."

"I can't," Sam answered, and her voice sounded unlike her own, high and hoarse at once. She hadn't cried, though her eyes itched and her throat felt full and choked with the need. No, she couldn't eat. She would be sick before she could swallow.

Teal'c placed the bowl on the grass between them.

After a moment, Sam felt him lean closer. He reached out and, when she didn't move away, rested his arm across her shoulders.

"He was a great warrior," Teal'c said.

"He was my father," she answered.

"You, too, are a great warrior, Major Carter."

"And?"

"Jaffa are taught it is wrong to mourn when a warrior dies in victory." Teal'c was silent for a long moment then he added, softly, "It is a hard teaching to obey."

Sam felt her fragile walls crumble as her eyes filled with tears. She trusted Teal'c. Loved him. Relaxing into his body in the firelight, Sam finally allowed herself to cry.

* * *

Sumner's team were on Cimmeria. Jack, impatient for news of SG-1 and SG-4, knew it would take a while for Sumner to call in. It was a fair trek from the stargate to Gairwyn's village, and even further to the caves. The teams should be in one of those locations if they were on the planet at all. There wasn't enough power to keep the SGA stargate open for 38 minutes; to conserve power they had shut the gate down as soon as Sumner's team were through. For the same reason, Jack couldn't open the gate to radio through without good reason. He had to wait for Sumner to dial in.

He might be waiting for hours.

Jack had been awake almost as long as Carl and knew he should take his own orders and sleep. But not while Carter and Teal'c were still out there. As soon as he knew...

Most of the personnel still on the base were preparing for the final evacuation: there were a lot of things they shouldn't leave behind if they could avoid it. Expensive equipment — anything portable — was being loaded onto FREDs. The techs who had been working on the stargate were now going through the computers and backing up as much as they could. Jack didn't want to leave the control room but at the same time he knew that letting everyone see his tension was not a good idea. He headed to his office; the first time he'd been in there since the attack.

The office had survived largely unscathed. Whatever was in his private quarters would have to be left behind, but he could salvage a few things from here. He emptied out a box full of old paperwork and began to fill it with the things he wanted to keep.

Packing up his office didn't take long and soon Jack was back in the control room, waiting. Pacing. Pretending to tidy the place up. Checking his watch every ten minutes.

There was a sound from the gate room and Jack looked up sharply. Adrenaline rushed through his system as the first chevron lit up. The iris was closed. He headed for the radio, watching as the gate activated. Friend or foe?

Blue light filled the gate room and Jack waited for the signal that would tell him this was a friend. It came through quickly.

"_SG-Alpha, this is Colonel Sumner_."

Jack felt some of his tension drain away. "What's your status, Colonel?" he asked, meaning _Where the fuck are my friends?_

"_All members of SG-1 and SG-4 are alive and accounted for, General. We're ready to return on your signal_."

Jack called down to the gate room. "Open the iris!" To Sumner he said, "Stand by, Colonel."

Carl hadn't been kidding when he said it would take a while to open the iris. The seconds crawled by while Jack's fingers tapped the desk impatiently. Finally, he was able to signal.

"The iris is open, Colonel. Come on home." Jack waited at the mic for Sumner's acknowledgement and as soon as he got it bounded down to the gate room. He would be happy when he saw for himself that _all_ of his people were okay. Sumner reported all members of SG-1 and SG-4 were accounted for. _Something_ had gone wrong out there, Jack knew that. They wouldn't be on Cimmeria if everything went according to plan. But they were alive.

How bad could it be?

_Very bad_, he realised as soon as he saw Carter's face. And the rest of her. Carter didn't look hurt: there were no crutches, no visible bandages or blood and she walked through the event horizon on her own two feet, carrying her own pack. But she was so pale she looked ghostly and her body language screamed something was very wrong. Jack noted the way Teal'c hovered close to her, protectively.

Jack was supposed to say something trite, like _welcome back_, but the words died on his lips.

Carter met his eyes as Jack stepped forward. But it was Captain Wilson who spoke first:

"Jesus Christ, what happened here?!!"

Jack turned to him, simultaneously annoyed and grateful for the distraction. "The Goa'uld paid us a little visit, Captain. Care to give me a report on your own mission?"

Wilson glanced at Carter, asking permission. She nodded wearily.

Wilson came to attention quickly. "The mission was a success, sir, but we had some losses. Kin'at, one of the Jaffa on our team, was shot down during our attack on Anubis' base. And..."

And then he said it. Jacob Carter.

_Oh, crap_. What do you say in a moment like this? Jack met Carter's eyes, not trusting himself to speak.

There was no blame in her eyes, only weary resignation. Phrases came into Jack's mind: _I'm sorry...great loss_...but nothing was adequate. With no other escape open to him, Jack took refuge in professionalism. He looked at Wilson again. "You'd better get checked out in the infirmary. The debrief will wait."

"Yes, sir." Wilson moved off and the rest of the team followed him.

"Teal'c," Jack said.

Teal'c turned back, letting Carter go on alone. When the others had left the ramp, he began without waiting for Jack to ask questions. "Our plan of attack went well, O'Neill. I believe the enemy was able to call for assistance. We were attacked by another hat'ak."

"Zipacna?" Jack asked, the pieces beginning to fall into place.

Teal'c's eyebrow went skyward. "Indeed. How did you know?"

Jack's gesture encompassed the very visible damage all around them. "He was responsible for this. He showed up, started blowing the hell out of the base, then left mid-attack. We thought he might have been summoned to defend one of the sites. Didn't know which."

"Zipacna pursued us for some time. Jacob Carter and Saddik determined we must sacrifice the hat'ak in order to make our escape. They remained aboard to ensure both ships would be destroyed. I do not know why they failed to reach the escape pods in time."

"You're certain Jacob didn't escape?" If there was even a remote possibility, Jack would send a team out there. Carter helped when Daniel went missing, the least they owed him was...

"Major Carter and I searched for many hours. We found no survivors."

Well, that answered that. Jack nodded. "What happened to the Jaffa on your team?"

"Major Carter ordered Captain Wilson to lead everyone to Cimmeria after we destroyed the hat'ak. As the Jaffa were unable to accompany them Raknor waited for us on the planet. I sent them back to Cal Mah."

"Good." All very neat and tidy. Except... "Is Carter...okay?"

The slightest shake of Teal'c's head answered him.

Of course not. Of course she's not okay. She just watched her father die.

* * *

In the small bathroom attached to the SGA infirmary, Janet leaned back against the door and let the tears flow down her cheeks. There was no one else here, no one to offer comfort. She cried for the loss of her relationship with Daniel. It's for the best, she told herself, over and over, but the words were empty and meaningless.

_Janet, I love you. I would like nothing better than to go home with you, make a life and maybe a family with you. Get a house in the country with a white picket fence and a big shaggy dog. I used to see that in our future._

A family? That was the part that hurt the most. Janet never knew he'd thought about having a family with her. They talked about marriage sometimes, but never children. Now it was too late.

Janet wanted to go after Daniel. She wanted to tell him it was okay, that she'd wait for him, however long he had to be away...but she couldn't. She couldn't burden him with that, knowing where he had to go.

She wiped her eyes and washed her face. She looked at her face in the mirror and decided her appearance would do. She took a deep breath and walked out into the infirmary.

There was only one patient here, and Sam wasn't really a patient. She was just sleeping. Sam reported for a post-mission check up along with the rest of her team. She told Janet and Daniel about her father while Janet did the standard checks. Janet hadn't needed to hear more. She — very firmly — stopped Daniel from asking questions. Sam was exhausted and stressed out; a huge emotional shock and grief on top of that...Janet was going to insist she take at least a week's leave as soon as possible. In the meantime she prescribed a mild sedative and ordered Sam to bed.

The other members of SG-1 and SG-4 seemed fine: no signs of Goa'uld infestation, no serious injuries. They were tired and showed signs of mild post-traumatic stress, but nothing out of the ordinary for the end of a tough mission. Lieutenant Simmons had nodded her way when she ordered Sam to sleep; Janet guessed he was worried about her, too.

"Doctor Fraiser."

Janet started at Teal'c's voice; she had been so wrapped up in her thoughts she hadn't heard him enter. "Teal'c. It's good to see you again."

"How is Major Carter?"

"She's sleeping. I think she'll be okay."

Teal'c was frowning a little. "Is Daniel Jackson not with you?"

_No...we're not together any more_. Why would Teal'c be asking her...? Teal'c's question threw Janet into confusion for a moment, then she realised what he meant. She swallowed. "No, he's not here. He left after SG-1 came in. I assumed he'd be with the general."

"He is not."

_Would you ask me not to go, Jan? Knowing what's out there?_

Daniel probably needed some alone-time. Breaking up wasn't easy for either of them. Janet almost wished she could blame him, make all of this his fault. Anger would be less painful. But it wasn't his fault...it took both of them to screw this one up.

It wasn't like Daniel to vanish in the middle of a crisis, though.

* * *

O'Neill mentioned he and Daniel Jackson had spent time fishing, so Teal'c, having exhausted other likely possibilities, headed out of the main building to search for Daniel there. He walked through the ruined base and observed the destruction. So few people were hurt in the attack, it was a real tribute to O'Neill's detailed plan of evacuation. Even amid the unusual circumstances, the evacuation had gone smoothly.

There seemed little point in looking in the guest quarters. There was very little left of the building. Teal'c walked in that direction anyway, aware that Daniel Jackson could not always be expected to behave logically when he was unhappy or upset.

It was from there he saw that the alkesh hangar was uncovered and wondered why. The alkesh would not have been useful in defending the base against a hat'ak. Setting the question aside (he could ask O'Neill later), Teal'c turned toward the river. And it was there he saw Daniel, sitting on the riverbank.

Teal'c understood why Daniel sought solitude. It was odd that Janet Fraiser did not. He walked over to his friend. Daniel was sitting in the long grass, his knees drawn up to his chest with his arms wrapped around them.

"Daniel Jackson."

Daniel looked up. The heavy curtain of his hair covered half of his face but Teal'c could see one eye, a cheek, part of his mouth. Enough to see that Daniel's eyes were red-rimmed and shining with tears.

Teal'c had sought him out to discuss the recent mission and a new idea, but seeing Daniel's distress changed his plan. He sat down close to Daniel but said nothing, waiting for Daniel — or Entar — to speak.

It didn't take long. Without saying a word, Daniel schooched over, closing the small distance between them. He laid his head on Teal'c's shoulder. It brought back many memories for Teal'c. He had comforted Daniel in this way before, when they lived together on Earth. Teal'c learned to recognise when Daniel needed comfort and when it was better to leave him alone, but it was long since Daniel had needed such closeness. Physical closeness of this kind was not the Jaffa way, except with a wife or lover, but Teal'c had observed it was the human way, when a friend was suffering. He learned to offer what he could, when needed.

As he did now, giving only his silence because he could not be sure what lay behind Daniel's tears.

After some time, Daniel raised his head. He twisted around so he was kneeling, looking up at Teal'c. "Thanks."

Teal'c inclined his head in acknowledgement. "What is wrong?" he asked.

Daniel gave a small shrug, avoiding Teal'c's eyes. "Janet and I broke up."

It was customary, Teal'c knew, to say _I'm sorry_ at this point. It was a custom he did not entirely understand: why offer an apology for something he did not do and could not influence?

"I was handling it okay..." Daniel went on, speaking quietly, "until..." He shook his head. "Sam told us about Selmak."

Selmak. Not Jacob. That told Teal'c all he needed to know.

Daniel still wouldn't look at him. "They've been friends for more than two thousand years, Teal'c. Since Selmak first took a host. It's hit Entar hard and I'm feeling...all of it. It's a little overwhelming."

"A little?"

"Okay, a lot. Most of the time Entar keeps me steady, or I keep him. Right now...neither of us is up to it." He pushed the hair out of his eyes and looked up at Teal'c.

"You seem better," Teal'c observed.

"Thanks to you." Daniel smiled weakly and began to stand.

Teal'c stood with him.

"Were you looking for me?"

"I came to speak with Entar."

"Oh." Daniel looked embarrassed for a moment.

"It will wait," Teal'c said quickly.

"No, Teal'c, it's okay." Daniel's eyes closed and he fell silent. Then he shrugged again, looking up with a rueful smile. "I think you're stuck with me for now. Entar's listening."

"Very well." Teal'c led the way up the slope toward the buildings. "I have considered what you said before the mission..."

* * *

Jack peered into the infirmary. Fraiser was at Doc Warner's desk. She saw him in the doorway and beckoned him in. Jack started to walk toward her and she stood, coming to him.

"You look dreadful, General."

"I'm crushed." He spoke quietly: Carl and Carter were both sleeping and he didn't want to disturb their rest.

Fraiser did not smile; well, the attempt at humour had been weak at best. "When did you last sleep?" she asked sternly.

Jack ran a hand through is already-mussed hair. "A while," he admitted. He saw her take a breath and went on quickly before she could start the stern doctor speech. "I know, I know. But I have a job to do, Doc. I'll sleep when all this is over."

"General..."

"That's my last word, Doc. You can't relive me of duty because right now there's no one else to take command."

She tutted angrily, but let that one pass. "Then why are you here?"

"How's Carter?" he asked, letting that answer her.

Her stern look softened. "As well as I'd expect, under the circumstances. She's not hurt, just exhausted."

"General..."

Both of them turned at the whispered word.

"Carter?"

"I'm awake, sir." Sam began to sit up.

Janet hurried to her side a little ahead of Jack. Jack stood back and waited while the doc did the usual doctor-things: checked Carter's pulse, shone a light into her eye (what was up with that?).

Sam turned her head away. "Janet, I'm fine. Just...a little sleepy."

"You _should_ be. Sam..."

Jack stepped forward, interrupting. "Could you give us a moment, Doc? Just a few minutes."

Fraiser looked like she wanted to argue, but apparently changed her mind. Jack was relieved; he didn't think he could get away with pulling rank twice in as many minutes. Especially when she technically outranked him in medical matters.

"Five minutes," she said firmly and returned to the desk.

Jack reached up and pulled the curtain around, giving them some privacy. He sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Sam..."

* * *

"It's good to hear from you, Jack. We were beginning to worry." The radio signal came through clearly. There was no visual: they were still working without the main computers.

Vidrine's remark surprised Jack. It wasn't like him. Truth be told, Jack was relieved to hear Vidrine's voice, too. It meant everything was getting back to normal. Well...almost.

"Our stargate is back online and we've rigged up a manual iris. It's adequate for now, as we'll be abandoning the base soon."

"What's your evacuation status?"

"We're done here. I'm ready to leave within the hour, and I've got to admit I've got itchy feet now I know we're exposed." Jack glanced at Carl, who, wide awake once more, was tinkering with the control on the base self-destruct device. "Are you done?"

Carl nodded. "Armed and ready." The self-destruct would be set when they left; they would leave nothing behind for the enemy to find and use.

Vidrine's voice came through again. "Good. Jack, I'm sending Colonel Kovacek through to the beta site to take command. I need you and your people to come here. I want a complete briefing on recent events, and given the situation on Stargate Alpha, we'll need to re-assess a few things."

Like the plans to expand the Alpha base, Jack realised. The expansion had only just begun, but the plans assumed the base would be here for a while. He answered, "Will do, General."

"Then I'll see you in an hour. Cheyenne Mountain out."

Jack cut the radio signal and shut the gate down himself. He turned to Carl and Captain Rogers, who had been listening in. "You heard the man. Carl, double check we've got all the important data — everything not already backed up on Earth. Rogers, get all personnel ready to leave. You'll need to assign someone to help Fraiser. We've got casualties to carry home with us." _Casualties_. A euphemism for the bodies of those they had lost. Jack met Rogers' eyes; the careful phrasing was not lost on the captain.

"I'd like to assist her myself, sir, with your permission."

Jack agreed. Rogers was Delaney's CO; in his place, Jack would have wanted to do the honours himself, too.

"And what will you be doing, Jack? Gonna go fishing for an hour?"

Jack shot a _look_ at Carl, but he wasn't really angry. "I'm going to find Daniel." _And try to apologise_.

Daniel thought Jack had tried to screw the Tok'Ra. The accusation hurt...mostly because there was some truth in it. He _didn't_ plan to screw the Tok'Ra. He'd known the Cimmeria option was risky for them — and for the Jaffa — and he decided the risk was an acceptable one. He was focussed on protecting his people. Cimmeria was the one place they _knew_ for sure the enemy couldn't follow.

He wouldn't admit he was wrong. It was intended as a last-ditch escape route and it worked. He wasn't wrong. Thoughtless, maybe. Daniel was pissed, and they'd been so close to rebuilding their bridges. Had he ruined it again?

There was less than an hour left to find out.


	30. Separate Ways

Daniel swallowed. "You're talking about creating a fifth column...within the Goa'uld territories." And he was asking the Tok'Ra — or at least Entar — for help. Daniel owed Teal'c, big-time. But he was asking a lot. "Teal'c...Jaffa don't turn against their gods so easily." He saw Teal'c open his mouth to object and went on quickly. "_You_ did, I know, but think about this. How long were you convinced you were serving false gods before you left?"

"Many Jaffa truly believe the Goa'uld are false gods. They serve them, as I did, because they have nowhere else to go. That has changed. We can give them Cal Mah."

They were sitting on a bench just outside the main building of the base and had been sitting there, talking, for a long time. Teal'c spoke at length about his hopes for the Jaffa rebellion, and had made a request of Entar. A request neither Daniel nor Entar had anticipated. Help the rebel Jaffa get started. In effect, Teal'c was asking Entar (and, by implication, other Tok'Ra operatives) to do for the Jaffa what Entar would do for the Tok'Ra as part of his mission: open a doorway through which rebel Jaffa could enter Anubis' service. It was extremely dangerous. It went against everything the Tok'Ra believed.

"Even so..." Daniel started, then broke off, unwilling to continue with what he wanted to say. All it would take was one traitor in the rebellion. Just one, and the Goa'uld would wipe them out. The rebel Jaffa didn't have the advantages the Tok'Ra possessed. They would all die.

"Entar, the Jaffa who serve Anubis have been stolen from other Goa'uld." It was as close as Teal'c could come to begging.

«_He is right_,» Entar conceded. «_Those Jaffa may not have any great loyalty to Anubis_.»

"Will that make a difference?" Daniel asked, speaking to both Entar and Teal'c. "Enough of a difference?"

Teal'c met his eyes and Daniel read pain there, raw and very real. "I need your help to find out," Teal'c said.

«_What do you think, Entar?_»

«_We both know he is right about the Jaffa. It is his risk to take_.»

«_So we help him?_»

«_The High Council will never agree_.»

«_If that's your only objection, let's just not tell them_.»

Daniel met his friend's eyes. "Teal'c you must understand, most of the Tok'Ra won't be willing to trust the Jaffa. Not in the way you're asking."

Teal'c bowed his head in acceptance, his eyes closing briefly. "I understand. Do you, also, distrust my people?"

Daniel shook his head, but answered as honestly as he could. "I trust people I _know_, Teal'c. I trust _you_ with my life."

"Me, but not other Jaffa."

"I didn't say that." Though it was implied. Daniel sighed. "Teal'c, the other rebel Jaffa, they've come to Cal Mah from all over, right? Many other Goa'ulds?"

"Indeed."

"Are there any among you who used to serve Nirrti? Warriors who bear her mark?"

It was almost painful to see the flash of hope in Teal'c's eyes. He answered gravely, "There are."

"And is there one among those whom you trust? I mean, someone you trust completely, because if Entar and I do this, we'll be trusting him on your honour, not just with our lives but with the Tok'Ra, the Tau'ri..."

"I understand," Teal'c interrupted.

"So is there someone you trust that much?"

Teal'c answered without hesitation. "Lanusk. He did not accompany us on this mission but remained with Master Bra'tac to persuade the Jaffa we captured to join the rebellion." Teal'c looked at Daniel, curiosity glimmering in his eyes. "Why Nirrti?"

"That's complicated, but basically because that's going to be my cover story. I'll be pretending to be a Goa'uld formerly in her service. A Jaffa who bears her mark could lend weight to my story. That is, if he'll be willing to masquerade as my...as Entar's servant."

"I believe he will."

«_Entar?_»

«_What do we have to lose? Except everything_.»

«_Is that a yes?_»

«_It's not a Tok'Ra thing to do. Given that we are going into Anubis' court, that may work to our advantage. So yes. Let's try it_.»

So Daniel nodded. "Alright. If Lanusk is willing, Entar will...Jack!"

Jack stood in the doorway, watching them. How long had he been there? Daniel wasn't sure.

"Not interrupting anything, am I?" Jack asked.

It was a stupid question. Daniel stood, walking toward Jack. "Yes, you are. But it's okay."

Teal'c said, "I will contact Lanusk at the first opportunity."

Daniel nodded. Jack frowned, but didn't ask the obvious question. Daniel gave him points for that.

"It's time to clear out, Daniel. T, SG-10 are going to take their mothership to the beta site. I'd like you to go with them, in case of trouble. Daniel, the deal was the Tok'Ra would get one of the ships, so the third one is yours. Theirs. Whatever. But you've got..." he checked his watch "...forty five minutes before we leave, and we'll be setting the self-destruct as we go. You and your Tok'Ra friends need to be gone before it blows."

Daniel nodded. That made sense. "I'll make sure everyone is ready."

As Teal'c left them alone Daniel found Jack staring at him. The scrutiny felt uncomfortable. "What?"

"Are you okay?"

«_Well, let's see. My lover is leaving me. A friend I've known for twenty lifetimes is dead. My best friend just proved I can't trust him any more. Yep. I'm doing just great_.»

Daniel shrugged. "I'm fine. Why the hurry?"

"Vidrine gave me a deadline. We'll be heading back to Earth. Are you coming with?"

"No. I've got to give my report to the High Council and prepare for my mission. I'll leave by ship with the other Tok'Ra."

Jack nodded. "There isn't much time, but could you stop by the infirmary? Carter wants to talk to you, and if you're not coming to Earth it'll have to be before we go."

Daniel felt reluctance from Entar. If Sam wanted to talk, it was probably about her father. Entar didn't want to go there. But Daniel wouldn't deny Sam. "Right away," he agreed. He turned to go.

"Daniel..." Jack began.

Daniel looked back.

_What happened to 'no one gets left behind'? Jesus, you didn't care, did you?_

Anger surged, suddenly. "Don't even," Daniel snapped. "It's done, Jack. I'm done."

* * *

Sam was sitting at a desk in the infirmary, examining Daniel's improvised interface between the LRVCD, the Goa'uld data crystal, and the infirmary computer. The LRVCD wasn't designed to read a crystal, but Entar had used the computer to jury-rig connections and make it work. She lifted the communication ball out of the device to examine the connections more closely. She had built an interface between Tok'Ra and human technology herself, but nothing quite like this. He'd used Tau'ri technology to interface two Goa'uld devices that weren't supposed to work together. It was quite clever.

"Playing with a new toy?" Janet asked her with a smile.

Sam smiled back, but it felt weak and forced. After the general left, Sam began to get dressed and ended up arguing with Janet at length. The doctor wanted her to stay in bed; Sam insisted she was fine and rested. Which wasn't true, and she was fairly sure she didn't fool Janet. The truth was she _had_ slept, a little — for a couple of hours, perhaps, it was impossible to know — but after that she woke and couldn't sleep again. Her mind refused to settle and when she did drift off, she was plagued with dreams she didn't want to remember. The general's arrival was a very welcome distraction.

"It's something to do," Sam shrugged, "since you won't let me go find out what's left of my lab." After a lot of argument, Janet had agreed to let Sam get dressed, but insisted she stay in the infirmary.

Sam replaced the ball and began to scroll idly through the data on the crystal. It was, naturally, in Goa'uld, which was one reason she didn't pay close attention to the information. She was more interested in the way the interface worked.

"Can you read that?" Janet asked, peering over her shoulder.

"A little," Sam answered. "Enough. It's technical data, mostly, looks like... Holy Hannah!"

"Sam?"

Tiredness fled. "Find me a pen and paper, Janet. Fast!" Sam stared at the screen in front of her. She frowned, wondering if her translation was correct. Could she be reading this wrong?

Janet returned with a notepad and pen. Sam began to take notes. She became so engrossed in the translation she didn't hear Daniel come in. She nearly leapt out of her skin when Daniel said her name. She whirled around.

Daniel held up his hands, palms visible. A universal _I'm harmless_ gesture.

Sam realised she'd reached for a sidearm. Not that she was wearing one. Still, the gesture was obviously not lost on Daniel. She took a deep breath. "Sorry. I guess I'm a bit jumpy."

He raised an eyebrow. "A bit?" Daniel smiled, grabbed a chair and sat down beside her. "Jack said you wanted me."

"This is Ancient technology, isn't it?" She gestured toward the data.

The smile faded from his lips. "I'm not an expert, but I think so."

"But it's a Goa'uld ship. Ancient technology doesn't work for the Goa'uld."

"What makes you say that?"

"Well...the device on P3R-272 didn't react to Teal'c."

He was silent for a moment, considering. They had come across other technologies that wouldn’t work for Teal’c, and it was logical to assume it was because he was Jaffa. But the Ancients were gone from the galaxy long before the Jaffa were engineered by the Goa’uld. Daniel shook his head. "Don't assume that's because he's Jaffa. We don't have much experience with Ancient technology, but some of it works for the Tok'Ra. And in theory, even the devices we can't use directly can be reverse-engineered. The Tok'Ra have never bothered because we're infiltrators. But Anubis may have acquired these things." He leaned over and shut off the device. "Is this why you wanted me?"

Sam shook her head. "No...there's something..." She broke off, looking at Janet. "I'm sorry...could we have some privacy, please?"

"Of course." Janet's eyes went to Daniel briefly, then she walked away. He hadn't said anything to her, Sam realised, though the look spoke volumes. There was something wrong between them...but now wasn't the time to ask.

Daniel dragged a chair over and sat down. "I'm listening."

"I want to talk to you...or Entar...about Saddik."

Sam saw Daniel's eyes widen in surprise. Then, his expression very different, he reached for her hand. "Sam...I'm so sorry about your dad."

The genuine empathy in his eyes was almost he undoing. She blinked back tears and drew her hand away from his touch. "Thank you."

"Okay. What about Saddik?" His tone had become businesslike.

"How well do you know him?"

"As well as any of the Tok'Ra. What's up, Sam?"

Now she felt silly. Her Dad dismissed her feelings as if it was just paranoia. Daniel would do the same. She said, tentatively, "Well...there was something...off about him. I'm not sure he was on our side."

"What did he do?"

"Nothing. I mean, nothing specific. It's a feeling. Instinct." This was where Daniel would tell her she was imagining it. To head him off, she added, "Dad thought I was overreacting. He'd know, wouldn't he? I mean, if it wasn't really Saddik, he would know."

"Instinct," Daniel repeated thoughtfully. He wasn't laughing, or arguing with her. Instead, he nodded slowly. "You're right, if something was badly wrong, Selmak should have noticed and I'm sure he would have mentioned it. But..."

He was taking her seriously. Oh, god, she could be right about this!

Sam realised she _wanted_ Daniel to dismiss her instinct. Wanted him to tell her she was imagining things. Because if she wasn't, if there was a possibility this was real, then she'd left her dad behind with that _thing_...

Oh, god...

"Sam, what made you suspicious? Do you remember?"

"I don't know. Like I said, it was instinct. The first time I saw him something said Goa'uld."

Daniel was frowning. "Saddik would not willingly betray the Tok'Ra. I'm certain of that. However, there are other possibilities. Things the Goa'uld have tried before."

"But my Dad..."

"...Should have picked up on anything suspicious, I know. And now they're both...gone...we'll never know for sure what happened. But..."

Daniel hesitated, and Sam watched him give control to his symbiot. "Major Carter," Entar said, "you carry the memories of Jolinar. Daniel knows you well; I knew Jolinar. Since blending with Daniel, I have come to believe that what you think of as your instinct, or intuition, is often her influence on you. Your natural understanding of alien technologies. The way you react to many Tok'Ra, including Martouf. If I am right, your instinct about Saddik should be trusted. This was instantaneous?"

"Yes." Sam felt hot tears gather in her eyes. She blinked them away.

"Then I think perhaps you saw something, some detail that alerted you, but that Jacob and Selmak either failed to see or considered unimportant. _What was it?_"

Sam closed her eyes and thought back, trying to visualise the scene again.

_Sam whirled to face the door, weapon raised. She had an instant to take in the lone figure, a split second in which all her instinct screamed danger! and she found herself beginning to pull the trigger. It took a huge effort to resist the impulse to fire. _

_Saddik was tall, easily Teal'c's height, perhaps taller. He wore a full length robe, wide at the shoulders with a sash of blue and silver brocade. The sleeves of the robe were three-quarter length, giving them all a clear view of the ribbon device covering his right hand and wrist. Sam looked into his face, but found no reassurance there. His eyes glittered below heavy brows, the lines on his face suggesting a perpetual frown. His mouth was set in a grim line, almost hidden by a thick beard._

Frustrated, she shook her head. "I don't know. I can't think..."

His hand touched hers again, briefly. "It's okay, Sam," Daniel said gently. "Now isn't the time. Entar is guessing. If you did see something, it doesn't mean your instinct was right. Just that it _could_ have been. Give it some thought and let me know if you come up with anything, okay?"

She nodded. "I'll try to remember." She watched him take the data crystal she had been viewing. "Wait. Is that the only copy?"

Daniel gave her his _Et tu, Brute?_ face. "Yes, it is. And yes, I know it's important. I already promised Jack a copy, I just haven't made one yet."

For the first time she noticed his tension. "Daniel? Are you okay?"

He shrugged, meeting her eyes. "No, I'm not. It's been a hell of a week. I need...I'm not sure. Something."

"A good stiff drink?"

"Entar doesn't let me drink. A punchbag, maybe. That might help." Daniel managed a smile.

"A punchbag you can pretend is the general?"

Daniel frowned, but nodded silently.

"Because he sent us to Cimmeria," she guessed.

"Not because he did it. Because of why he did it."

Sam understood. She hesitated for a moment, but had to speak. "Daniel, it was meant as a last resort. He is right, you know: the Tok'Ra haven't always been forthcoming with us when we've co-operated on missions. In the end he decided the only one we could trust was..."

"Your father," he finished for her, his voice gentle. "Are you okay?"

"I don't know yet."

He nodded sympathetically, changing the subject. "I guess we'd better get to the gate room before Jack sends out a search party."

* * *

SG-10 and Carl Miller were aboard their mothership. Teal'c would join them when everyone else was gone, and they would fly out to the beta site. The mothership could provide the base with some defence if, as Jack feared, it was exposed to the Goa'uld.

The rebel Jaffa who helped with their mission had already left for Cal Mah. The remaining Tok'ra were aboard the hat'ak they had claimed for themselves. They were taking the damaged ship, on the theory that they were better placed to repair the damage than the Tau'ri. The battle damage wasn't serious: the ship would get them where they were going.

Almost everyone else still on Stargate Alpha was in the gate room, ready to leave. In the control room above, Daniel watched, Teal'c at his side, while Sam and Jack set the base self-destruct. The four of them together in the room...for a moment Daniel cast his mind back a few years, imagining them in the SGC control room, with an SG-1 patch on each of their arms. The memory was so strong that for a moment he expected to see General Hammond.

«_You still miss him_.»

«_Yes, I do. He was a good man. Not that General Vidrine isn't_.»

Glowing red numbers appeared on the display above the destruct-device controls. The figures showed the countdown that had been halted after the Goa'uld attack: It was the first time Daniel had seen it and the display showed less than a minute left. That had been a close one.

Jack might pretend to be clueless about technology but he showed no hesitation as he adjusted the controls. The lights flickered and reset. Jack glanced up at Daniel. "How long do you need, Daniel? Will forty five minutes cover it?"

"That's more than enough," Daniel answered. It wasn't a forty five minute walk. They would have plenty of time to get to the ships.

It would be good to get away, Daniel realised. It was a shock to find how much he wanted to be with his own people now. And that _his own_ now meant the Tok'Ra. Perhaps that desire was mostly Entar's...but he wasn't sure.

Daniel watched as Jack activated the self destruct countdown. "We'll stay in orbit until the bomb detonates. Just to make sure." It wasn't necessary, but he knew Jack was nervous about the amount of information they were leaving behind. The damage to the base mainframe had made it impossible to wipe the data; they needed the bomb to do that.

Jack said nothing, but he didn't need to. Daniel read the thank-you in his look.

"Carter," Jack said.

She started to dial Earth.

Daniel glanced down to the people gathered in the gate room. Janet was among them, of course. As he looked her way she turned, as if she knew he was watching. Their eyes met.

He couldn't say goodbye with a look. Drawn to her as he always was, Daniel walked down to the gate room. No one stopped him.

Janet met him at the door. "Will I see you again?" she asked. Her eyes were bright, but he saw no sign of tears.

Daniel nodded, his heart breaking again. "I'll be coming to Earth in a few days. I need to wrap up some things...say goodbye to Cassie. We can talk then...if you think there's more to say." He reached for her hands. "Be safe, honey."

She smiled sadly. "You, too." Blue light filled the room as the stargate whooshed open, illuminating her eyes as she spoke. The FRED carrying their equipment began to trundle up the ramp.

"Move out, people!" Jack's voice came over the speaker.

"That means me," Janet said.

He was still holding her hands. "Yes."

Janet slowly withdrew her hands from his and began to walk toward the stargate.

"Hard to watch her go?" Sam asked, coming up behind him.

"More than you know," Daniel answered with unexpected honesty.

He opened his arms to Sam and she stepped forward, letting him hug her. But though she hugged him back, she didn't seem comfortable and he drew back quickly.

"Daniel...are you going to tell the Tok'Ra...what we discussed?"

Daniel pondered for a moment, then said, "I won't tell the High Council. At least not yet. If we start trying to cast blame I'm scared of where we might end up. I'll let Per'sus know privately; he'll make the decisions."

Sam nodded. "I understand."

"If you think of anything more specific, let me know...or contact Per'sus. I promise we'll take it seriously."

"Thank you," she whispered. Then Sam, too, headed up to the stargate.

This left Daniel alone with Jack. It felt awkward. Once, they would have hugged, but Jack's betrayal of the Tok'Ra, deliberate or not, stood between them now. Daniel wasn't sure if...

«_Don't be ridiculous_.»

«_Ridiculous how?_»

«_You love this man, my friend. Stop making it complicated_.»

For the second time in as many weeks, it was Entar who pushed Daniel into Jack's arms. And the moment they touched, Daniel felt his tension drain away. Entar was right. He could be angry with Jack, but it made no difference. This friendship remained his anchor.

Jack hugged him tightly, just like that day in the SGC gate room, when they'd each thought the other dead in their attempt to stop Apophis' attack on Earth. Both men were smiling when they drew apart.

Jack half-turned toward the waiting stargate. "Be seeing you, Doctor Jackson."

Daniel returned the smile. "Be seeing you, General O'Neill." He watched until Jack disappeared into the shining blue.

With Teal'c at his side, he walked away as behind them the stargate shut down for the last time.

* * *

  


### Four Weeks Later

Daniel brought the tel'tac out of hyperspace some distance from their destination planet. He cloaked the ship, checked the controls and left the tel'tac to drift on automatic. «_This is it, Entar_.»

«_We are ready_.»

Lanusk, right on cue, appeared behind him. He was wearing full Jaffa armour and carrying a staff weapon. Lanusk certainly looked the part of a First Prime: almost as tall as Teal'c and as powerfully built, he carried himself with pride, a sign of high rank. He had not been First Prime to Nirrti, but Entar guessed Lanusk would have achieved that position in time, had she not turned renegade. It meant he was a skilled warrior, and capable of ruthlessness. Both were qualities he would need on this mission.

"Ready?" Daniel asked him.

"I remember your story," Lanusk affirmed. He rested his staff weapon across his knees as he took a seat opposite Daniel. "I'm not sure why you're so confident it will be accepted."

There was time to go over it. "The best way to hide a lie is inside the truth. This story is partly true, and Anubis will be able to verify the important elements if he wants to." Daniel turned toward the viewport, watching the stars as he talked. "It happened...something like a hundred and twenty years ago. Before you were born, anyway. My symbiot had a different host then, of course."

Cleis. The first, sharp grief at his death had faded, but Entar still felt the loss. It didn't disparage Daniel, but they had been together for a very long time. Cleis was old all those years ago, when he and Entar last encountered Nirrti. It should have been their last mission together.

Daniel picked up the story with difficulty. "He was captured by Nirrti. Tortured." One word: _torture_, to cover months of pain. Nirrti killed Entar again and again, using a sarcophagus to revive him. No matter what she did, she couldn't break him. It would have happened eventually, through the sarcophagus if not through pain, but her repeated use of the sarcophagus had an effect Nirrti had not intended. Entar used it to heal Cleis. Not only of his wounds, but of the simple accumulation of years. The sarcophagus restored Cleis' youth, extended his life, gave both of them the strength to resist Nirrti.

From his own experience, Daniel knew that repeated exposure to a sarcophagus had serious psychological consequences. Entar was not immune to them, though he was prepared for it. The possibilities inherent in the sarcophagus frightened him; sooner or later he would forget why he was resisting Nirrti...he would cease to care.

After weeks of this, Nirrti changed her strategy. Instead of killing, she took Cleis to the edge of death, forcing Entar to heal mortal wounds. Death is not an option in such circumstances. Entar did as she wanted and expected, healing his host over and over, expending his own resources.

Her plan was to weaken Entar, weaken him to the extent that she would be able to kill him without killing his host. Had Nirrti succeeded, she would have implanted a symbiot loyal to her in Cleis' body, gaining Entar's knowledge and a spy of her own to send back to the Tok'Ra.

She failed only because another Tok'Ra spy existed within her ranks at the time. When he discovered what was happening, the Tok'Ra was able to create an opportunity for Entar to escape. An opportunity was enough.

"So you see," Daniel concluded, "the only part of the story that is false is Nirrti's failure."

"I understand," Lanusk answered. "So, you have been her spy among the Tok'Ra for over a century."

"That's right. Nirrti did not inform the system lords of this and through me she used the Tok'Ra to her benefit. Since she attempted to kill Cronos and lost her position of power among the system lords, my status has been changing. I remained among the Tok'Ra in order to monitor the situation. Having learned of Anubis' return, I have decided to offer him my services."

"You returned to Mitan when you left the Tok'Ra and discovered few Jaffa still loyal to Nirrti since her disappearance. I am one of those who remained loyal. You, Lord Ang'net, convinced me you, also, are loyal to my god, and I now accompany you as your First Prime."

Daniel nodded. The story was as watertight as he could make it. It was a good cover story that provided a plausible explanation if Daniel's face were recognised. It allowed Entar to relax a little in dealing with Anubis; he would not have to conceal his knowledge of Anubis' history. And the story acknowledged Entar had come from the Tok'Ra and the Tau'ri.

However, it also meant Entar would inevitably have to betray — or appear to betray — the Tok'Ra...and Earth. They had spent many hours in conference with Generals Vidrine and O'Neill, preparing for this, and eventually reached an agreement on how much Entar could safely reveal in order to support his mission. It would be a fine line to walk, but Entar believed they could do it.

There was one more issue to clear up. "Presenting you as my First Prime will give you the opportunity to bring other Jaffa into Anubis' forces, once we're safely inside. And you know I'll be working against Anubis for the Tok'Ra. I think it's best for us to agree on one thing now."

"And that is?"

"If either of us is caught or exposed as a traitor to Anubis, the other must stay out of it. Deny all knowledge."

Lanusk bowed his head. "If you are exposed as a spy, you don't want my help?"

"If that happens, you'll be under suspicion too. If you behave as if I fooled you as I did them, you might have a chance of surviving it. Don't try to get the word out or help me in any way, because they'll be watching for that. The same is true if you are exposed as a rebel Jaffa. I'll get word to Teal'c if I can, but it won't be quickly because I'll have to behave as if I didn't know, as if you deceived me."

Lanusk nodded gravely. "I agree to this. However, I had hoped we would be able to work together."

"We can, in some ways. I want to know as little as possible about your work for the Jaffa rebellion. What I don’t know, I can’t betray. But if you want my help you only have to ask. Once it's safe I'll do anything I can. And if I need a favour, I'll ask you. If whatever I need doesn't endanger you or your work..."

"I will assist as I can."

Daniel gave his attention to the navigation. "We're coming up on the planet now; they'll be hailing us soon. Take the weapons, Lanusk. Leave the talking to me."

"Yes, my lord."

Daniel smiled and closed his eyes, turning his body over to Entar. Entar decloaked the tel'tac as they swept into the atmosphere of the planet. Far below them stood the gilash'ad so recently destroyed by SG-1. A new base was being built here.

The challenge came almost immediately. "_Kree tal shal. Mak Anubis!_"

Entar answered with practised Goa'uld arrogance. "Maktel lok tak. Mekta Goa'uld Ang'net. Tal-ka Anubis."

And their mission began.

* * *

  


### Two days later

Though the Jaffa around him behaved with respect, Entar was aware that he was their prisoner. He was not unduly concerned by this. It was expected. Today, they would take him to the Goa'uld who was Anubis' right hand. Following the death of Zipacna, Entar had no idea who that might be. Questions aimed at discovering the identity of this Goa'uld had gone unanswered, but the mystery didn't worry Entar: he took it as typical Goa'uld grandstanding and dismissed it.

Lanusk stood at Entar's side, playing the loyal First Prime. They did not look at each other. Lanusk was unarmed but this, too, was expected. They would not be permitted weapons until after this meeting.

So far, things had gone smoothly. Lanusk's presence helped convince Anubis' people — both Goa'uld and Jaffa — that Entar was who he claimed to be: Ang'net, a Goa'uld formerly a trusted aide of Nirrti, who now wished to serve Anubis. Entar knew how to play his role; there had been some difficult moments but that was to be expected: any newcomer had to prove himself. It seemed they had succeeded. Following this meeting, if the Goa'uld they were to meet chose to "recruit" him, Entar hoped he would meet Anubis himself.

Two of Anubis' Jaffa led Entar to the transport rings. Entar schooled his expression to neutrality as the rings surrounded him.

They materialised at one end of a long tunnel. The familiar copper-gold walls looked like those aboard a Goa'uld ship, but Entar did not believe they were in space. He _thought_ they were underground, but the Jaffa had taken a great deal of care to ensure he didn't know exactly where they were. Not even which planet. If this was a planet.

Flanked by the Jaffa, Entar began to walk down the tunnel.

«_Calm down, Daniel, you're making me nervous_.»

«_I can't help it. I _am_ nervous_.»

«_This is the last hoop they will ask us to leap through, my friend. All we need do now is convince this Goa'uld of my sincerity. We are lucky to have come so far, so soon_.»

«_That's what makes me nervous_.»

A door opened before them. They entered the chamber, the Jaffa in formation around Entar.

The chamber was cleverly lit, spotlights converged on the doorway so Entar was momentarily blinded as he entered. The light forced him to bow his head, blinking. Without breaking his step, Entar raised his head, looking for the Goa'uld they had come to meet.

He saw a woman in a dark, ornate robe, seated on a throne directly ahead.

Entar did not immediately recognise her...but Daniel did. «Sarah!»

It was Osiris.


	31. Epilogue: No Place Like Home

### A Year Later

The balcony overlooked the ocean. The ocean far below was tinged with red; there was some sort of plankton living in the coastal waters. When he first looked upon this scene, it was like watching waves of blood break on the rocky shore. He was accustomed to it now, and such macabre associations no longer came to mind. Above the ocean the sky, too, was red-tinged. It took on that bloody hue at dusk and at sunrise. The view was quite spectacular. A strong wind blew in from the sea, lifting his long hair and billowing his robes as he stood there.

Entar, alert for any change in his surroundings, heard the Jaffa's approach before his shadow fell across the rail beside him. He turned away from the ocean view. "_Kel'sha_, Lanusk."

"Are we alone?" Lanusk asked.

Entar looked back into the chamber, raising a hand to keep his hair out of his eyes. There was no sign of movement. "For the moment," he answered cautiously. "You have something for me?"

"Two things, Lord Ang'net." Lanusk withdrew a data crystal from beneath his armour. "The footage from Rey'en you requested."

Entar took the crystal, concealing it quickly in a fold of his robe. "Thank you."

"Are you going to give that to Anubis?" Lanusk asked him. "I saw nothing there that would interest him."

Entar detected worry in Lanusk's question. He shook his head. "It will interest him after I have added some details," he smiled. "What is the second thing?"

"A message. Councillor Per'sus desires your immediate return to the Tok'Ra."

Entar frowned uneasily. Lanusk had no reason to try to trap him; he knew Entar was Tok'Ra. But why would the High Council send a message to him via the Jaffa? "The Supreme High Chancellor of the Tok'Ra has more direct ways of contacting me."

Lanusk laughed aloud. "You Tok'Ra and your titles! 'Supreme High Chancellor'!"

"_Kree, ha'shak!_" Entar drew his cloak around him, glancing anxiously behind them. "Mock if you wish, Lanusk, but maintain the pretence that I am your god or you will get us both killed."

Lanusk followed Entar's look to the chamber within, finally grasping that they were not entirely alone. He bowed his head. "_Ti'u_, my lord. The message was relayed to me directly from Teal'c. He said something is happening on Earth and you would want to be involved."

Entar nodded. "Very well. Convey to Teal'c, if you are able, that I have received his message." He patted his robe where the data crystal was concealed. "Thank you for this. If we don't meet again..."

"Spare me. We are allies."

«_And friends_.» Though neither of them was likely to speak those words aloud. Entar clenched his fist, striking his chest in a Jaffa salute. He kept the gesture brief, because it would be dangerous if they were observed, but Lanusk had earned this much. The salute signified Entar considered Lanusk an equal. As he did: they were warriors in the same war, taking the same risks and fighting for the same cause.

"With your leave, my lord?" It was said with a hint of mockery that made Entar smile.

He nodded. "Go."

Alone, Entar gazed out across the ocean again. The sun was higher now, the sky beginning to lose its scarlet glow.

«_Do we believe him?_» Daniel asked silently.

«_There is no reason not to. If Lanusk is compromised, we are dead regardless_.»

«_But you're reluctant_.»

«_We are close to our goal, my friend. If we leave now, we may miss the opportunity_.»

«_Or perhaps this could be the chance we've been waiting for_.»

«_It is too soon_...»

«_Too damn late you mean!_» There was a lot of resentment in Daniel's thought.

Entar refused to argue the point. «_As you wish, my friend. I do what I must_.» He turned, then, sensing the presence of a symbiot behind him. Not Lanusk returning. Fear threaded through him for an instant; if they had been overheard...

Osiris appeared in the archway. Entar immediately knew she was unaware of Lanusk's presence; she would have taken far more care over her appearance had she thought someone else was here. This view was intended for him alone. Osiris' robe hung loosely around her shoulders, open to her waist at the front. It would have been an enticing sight if Entar wanted her. He did not. Nevertheless he looked, as she expected him to, letting his gaze move slowly over the exposed skin. He smiled to show he appreciated what she was showing him.

Osiris had not once openly questioned Entar's cover story. Perhaps because she had engineered what happened when Entar took Daniel as a host, perhaps also because she had no real understanding of what it meant to be Tok'Ra, she never once thought he might not be a Goa'uld as he claimed. She had been suspicious of him, certainly, but her suspicion was of an overly-ambitious Goa'uld. It helped that parts of Entar's story could be verified...because they were true.

"I woke alone," Osiris said.

"I had business," Entar answered, confident she wouldn't ask what, yet. He moved away from the balcony, opening his arms to her. "Come."

Osiris' look was challenging, but she moved into his arms long enough to claim his mouth. He kissed her, pretending to be disappointed when she pulled away. She let him touch her, let him hold her, but never for long. She feared appearing weak. When Osiris invited him into her bed, she made it clear she wanted a fuck, not intimacy. It was a singularly cold experience, but Entar was working to gain Osiris' trust. This was just one more step, and now, several nights later, it seemed he was beginning to break through.

As she pulled back, he slid his hands down her back, keeping her body close to his. "Are you in a hurry?"

Her hand rested on his chest, not pushing him away, but placing a barrier between them. "We have a connection, you and I," Osiris said.

«_Be careful, Entar_...»

"I know." He covered her hand with his, placing their joined hands over his heart. "You gave me this host."

"Does it excite you, Ang'net? Do you enjoy knowing what your host and mine once shared?" Her fingernails dug into his skin. "Does your host feel anything?"

He backed off, beginning to turn away. "As you well know, Osiris, nothing of the host survives." Entar saw her bitter smile and realised she disagreed. Sarah was still in there, somehow, and Osiris felt her host's mind.

«_Oh, god, Entar_...»

Entar felt Daniel recoil from his thought. «_My friend, try to see it as good news_,» he sent, but he understood Daniel's horror. «_We have no choice_,» he added. The hard, inescapable truth.

* * *

The crystal was ready. For several days Entar had worked on it in every safe moment, carefully editing the images it contained with the images he had stolen from another of Anubis' Jaffa. The alterations were almost undetectable. If someone knew what to look for they would find the signs, but it was as good a job of forgery as Entar's skill could create. The finished crystal should be irresistible bait for his trap. A trap he had only one chance to spring. Whatever the outcome, he had to leave that night.

Entar set the data crystal into the viewer and scrolled slowly through the pages. He was on his third go-around when Osiris finally walked in. He called her over.

"What is this?"

"It's the reconnaissance data from Rey'en. Look at this."

Osiris moved closer and Entar waited while she examined the carefully-doctored image. It wasn't a question of _whether_ she would take the bait, only what she would do with it. After six months, Entar knew Osiris well. She was cunning and ambitious, loyal to Anubis but eager to advance her own power...she could be unpredictable, however.

"I've never seen a ship like that before," Osiris admitted. She looked at Entar sharply. "But you have, haven't you, Ang'net?"

«_Hook, line and sinker_,» Daniel thought with satisfaction.

Entar concealed his triumph. "I haven't seen the ship itself. However, I have seen schematics...or, I think I have. I may be mistaken."

"It's not Asgard," she mused.

"No. If I'm right, Osiris, that's one of the new Tau'ri vessels." He froze the image, leaning close to her. "If I am right, we have found their new Alpha Base."

Now she was smiling, following where he led her thoughts. "We can destroy them all!" Her eyes glowed brightly as she stared at the ship.

Entar reached out, taking her hand. "Osiris, wait. This is thin evidence and I've only seen the plans for the ships, not the results. Caution might be better."

She considered that. It was characteristic of Osiris; she was very careful.

Entar added, "Anubis will not be pleased if we take a fleet as far as Rey'en to no purpose."

His words earned him a sharp look. "What do you propose, Ang'net?"

This was the risky part. "I will take an alkesh. I can investigate the planet and return with a complete picture of whatever is there, including their defences. If I am right and it's a Tau'ri base, you can follow with the fleet and crush them."

She considered. "I agree. _We_ will take an alkesh and investigate."

Entar made a show of reluctance. "That's not necessary. I know you are occupied with — "

"I will accompany you," she interrupted with finality.

It was time to give in gracefully. Entar bowed his head. "Of course." He stood. "I will tell the Jaffa to prepare an alkesh." As he left, Osiris was studying the crystal closely.

«_That was dangerous, Entar_.»

«_She is suspicious of me now, it is true. But she will assume I mean to take credit for finding and destroying the Tau'ri base, and she will accompany us to ensure I cannot. Is that not what you wanted?_»

«_If she's suspicious enough, she'll come armed_.»

«_She won't be armed in bed_,» Entar returned cynically.

«_You bastard!_» Daniel's thought was hot with anger and guilt. «_That's rape, Entar_.»

«_Of you, or of Osiris?_»

«_Sarah_.»

Entar expected that. «_I am sorry, my friend, but that's not my concern. Your squeamishness in this matter is a weakness we cannot afford_.»

Daniel's response was a stony silence, not unexpected. Entar sighed inwardly. He felt Daniel's concern for Osiris' host, but he didn't understand it. To Entar, what mattered was getting her to the Tok'Ra alive, so they could remove her symbiot. Whatever Sarah had to endure, if she was alive at the end, she had a chance to heal. Dead was dead.

* * *

Rey'en was no Tau'ri base, though it was a planet they had visited. Rey'en had nothing of interest to the Tau'ri: no human population, neither naqadah nor minerals in the soil. The planet had a good climate, certainly, and was a pleasant place to visit, but the stargate program wasn't interested in potential tourism. The footage of the ship was real enough. The X-303 had been built based on the technology of Tanith's alkesh, reverse-engineered by the Tau'ri. Following the X-301 disaster, they no longer attempted to use Goa'uld components directly. The result was a warship capable of interstellar flight, carrying smaller attack vessels and entirely built by humans from Earth. It was more than Daniel had expected them to achieve in his lifetime.

The test flight of the X-303 had been monitored from a distance by some of Anubis' Jaffa. Fortunately, they reported to Entar first, and he had taken the necessary steps to conceal their discovery.

Using genuine images of the X-303 was the best way to make the data seem authentic. Entar was confident the images could not be traced back to their true location, and he was giving away very little information Anubis did not already know. They knew the Tau'ri were building ships. The only new information would be the appearance of those ships. Entar knew the Tau'ri might not agree, but he considered it acceptable to reveal that information now. It was a fair exchange for his escape, and more than fair if he could capture Osiris at the same time.

Entar made a copy of the data crystal and left the original among the possessions he was leaving behind. When he and Osiris failed to return, his chamber would be searched and this would be found. They would either follow the trail to a dead end, or discover the data had been falsified. The former would make it appear some accident had befallen them, the latter that they had been led into a trap. In either case, it left an opportunity for Entar to return. He could invent some story to explain his absence and Osiris' death.

Aboard the alkesh, Enter went through the motions of prepping the ship. The Jaffa accepted his commands without question. Why _should _they question? He was accepted as one of them, an ambitious Goa'uld rising quickly through the ranks in Anubis' service. His mission has gone well.

Osiris joined him, checked the flight plan he had put together and approved. She dismissed the Jaffa crew before they launched. That played into Entar's hands, but it worried him; she was planning something herself. To kill him? It seemed possible. He would have to act quickly.

Entar clenched his fist, feeling the warm metal of his hand-device press against his fingertips. The metal crunched under the pressure of his hand and the jewel at its centre dug into his palm. He swallowed his tension with an effort and launched the alkesh into hyperspace.

He rose from the pilot's console, looking for Osiris. She stood in the doorway of the pel'tac, watching him. Entar raised his hand, sending a blast of energy from the hand-device. Osiris was lifted off her feet by the blast and thrown backward. She crashed into the wall behind her, slid to the ground and lay still.

«_Entar!_» Daniel protested.

He hurried to Osiris' side. Her eyes were closed. Her head was turned to the side, revealing blood in her hair, but she was alive, and the wound was nothing Osiris would find a challenge to heal. It takes more than that to kill a Goa'uld.

«_She will be fine_,» Entar assured his host. He reached for a set of restraints.

* * *

Daniel combed his fingers through his hair, pushing it back from his face. He gathered the hair at the nape of his neck — it really was getting too long — and fastened a silver clasp, keeping it out of his way. He raised a hand before his face, flexing his fingers. He was a passenger in his body for a long time. It felt strange to be back in control. It was almost as if Entar was _his_ host, not the reverse. It would take a while for him to be comfortable in his own skin again.

He looked across the pel'tac to where Osiris was sitting. He couldn't allow himself to think of her as Sarah. Not yet. She was still a Goa'uld. The enemy. And he knew she would kill him now, if he gave her an opportunity. Osiris was still unconscious, chained in the command seat with restraints around her wrists, ankles and chest. The restraints were strong; she would not be able to use her strength to escape. But there were other ways, and other things she might do, even tied down. Things that worried Daniel a great deal.

Daniel checked the flight controls and confirmed their position before dropping the ship out of hyperspace. He cloaked the alkesh and began to plot a new course. There was no reason to continue on to Rey'en. He was able to calculate a new flight plan quickly. The technology, once such a mystery to Daniel, was now completely familiar: one benefit of the months just past. They would head straight for the Tok'Ra base on Ravloshim. Daniel took the alkesh back into hyperspace, on their new course.

"What is the meaning of this?"

Daniel didn't turn around. "I thought that would be obvious," he answered.

Osiris snarled, "You seek my place." She still thought she was talking to another Goa'uld.

«_Get her angry, make her feel foolish_,» Entar advised.

Daniel punched the autopilot and faced her. "You really are an idiot, aren't you? I thought you were at least a little suspicious, but I overestimated you. Entar took you for the fool you are."

She tugged ineffectively at the bonds around her wrists.

Daniel saw comprehension dawn in her eyes. He nodded, letting a patronising smile show on his face. "Oh, yes. I'm Daniel Jackson."

"What are you doing?"

«_Should I tell her?_»

«_It can do no harm to tell her our destination, but you must not let her know our intention is to free her host_.»

«_I hadn't really planned on it_.»

"I'm taking you to the Tok'Ra."

Osiris renewed her struggles. "Release me."

Daniel tilted his head as if considering her request. "Ah...no."

"Release me or I will kill this host!"

Daniel tensed, but the threat was expected and he was prepared for it. He leaned back in his chair, feigning relaxation, keeping his eyes on Osiris with a small, cynical smile playing around his mouth. "You'll have to do better than that," he said softly.

She hesitated. She hadn't expected her threat to have so little effect. The look in her eyes was pure fury. That was good; she was off-balance. Her eyes narrowed. "If you are truly Daniel Jackson, then you care for this host. You will not want to see her death."

"That's true," Daniel replied, much more calmly than he felt. "I do care about Sarah. I know what she's suffering, Osiris. Her death would be a release from pain. So go ahead and kill her. You will kill yourself, too, and I don't think you're ready for that."

She smiled maliciously. "If you think the host suffers now..."

Daniel was across the room in an instant. He towered over Osiris, grasping her chin hard enough to bruise, forcing her head up. "Don't even think about it. If you torture her, Osiris, I will kill you myself. Slowly." He released her chin, raising his hand so she could see the hand device he still wore.

"You will kill me whatever I do."

"No," Daniel lied. "I'm _willing_ to, but it's not my intention. The Tok'Ra want you alive."

"Why?"

Daniel shrugged. "I didn't ask." He lowered the hand device. "You have two chances to die, Osiris, and one to live. It's your call." He turned his back on her. «_And you'd better make the right choice!_»

«_I believe she will, my friend. Osiris did not spend five thousand years trapped on Earth only to surrender now_.»

«_As long as she believes I'm willing to kill her_.»

«_Indeed. Be prepared for her to test your resolve_.»

Involuntarily, Daniel glanced back at Osiris. «_I know. That's what I'm afraid of_.» He tried to ignore her, concentrating on the navigation. At the maximum speed of the alkesh, it would take them eleven hours to reach the Tok'Ra. This could be a very long trip.

* * *

Daniel was pacing in the tunnels when Per'sus found him. He was waiting for word of Sarah.

Immediately they reached the new Tok'Ra homeworld Daniel had turned Osiris over to Hirtana for the Goa'uld to be removed. Hirtana objected at first, believing Osiris was too valuable a resource to waste. It was Per'sus who ordered her to perform the surgery.

Hirtana was the same Tok'Ra surgeon who removed Klorel from Skaara. Daniel knew she would safely remove Osiris from Sarah's body. Physically, Sarah would be fine. It wasn't the physical that worried him.

For nearly two years she had been host to a Goa'uld. Osiris, imprisoned for centuries and freed in ignorance by Sarah, must have been ruthless in taking her. In the months Entar had worked alongside Osiris, Daniel feared for Sarah. Osiris enjoyed the pain of others. Tormenting her host excited her; she had told him as much that morning on the balcony. Perhaps she deliberately allowed Sarah to retain some awareness, like a helpless mouse kept as a cat's plaything. There was a moment, once, in bed with her, when she had touched him as Sarah used to, and it took all of Entar's concentration to stop himself responding as Daniel's memories prompted. But moments like that gave them hope for Sarah. Something of the host survived.

But what? Would it be enough? The Tok'Ra once freed Goa'uld hosts at any opportunity. Entar had seen how few survived. Many were too old: without a sarcophagus and a symbiot to sustain them, their deaths were slow and painful. Others survived physically, but had endured too much for their minds to cope with. Entar's memories were vivid for Daniel as he waited. He remembered one freed host dying in his arms...a suicide.

It was not all hopeless. Of those young enough to survive the separation, more than half survived and if none were unchanged, some emerged stronger for the experience. There was hope for Sarah. But still, Daniel worried.

While Sarah was in surgery, Entar submitted his preliminary mission report to the High Council and endured a range of tests designed to ensure that he was who he claimed to be and had not been subverted by the Goa'uld during his time away. The tests were not infallible, but it was rare for them to fail. All of that took several hours, and still Hirtana was not finished with Sarah. Daniel had nothing to distract him now. So here he was, pacing in the tunnels, waiting for news.

"How is she?" he asked eagerly, when Per'sus approached.

The Tok'Ra leader shook his head. "I don't know, Daniel. They'll tell you before they will tell me." He regarded Daniel thoughtfully. "She means a lot to you, doesn't she?"

"We were close once, and I do feel responsible for what happened to her."

Per'sus nodded, understanding.

Daniel sighed, pulling himself together. "But I guess you didn't come to talk about Sarah. Why did the Council recall us? My contact said something about Earth?"

"Yes. I confess I don't fully understand your world, Daniel. Your friend Doctor McKay has been explaining the intricacies of Tau'ri politics to me, but..." Per'sus spread his hands wide, the gesture saying more than words.

"Earth politics can get complicated," Daniel admitted. «_So McKay's still with the Tok'Ra. I thought he'd be back on Earth by now_.» "What's going on?" he asked.

"Your warning saved Earth when Anubis attacked," Per'sus began.

That much, Daniel already knew. Entar was secure in Anubis' service when he learned of the gathered fleet. Initially they hadn't realised the fleet was headed for Earth. When he did, it had been a race against time to get a warning to Jack and General Vidrine. Daniel hadn't truly relaxed until the remains of the fleet returned, reporting failure. It had made Anubis all the more determined to destroy the Tau'ri, but he would be more cautious now. It bought Earth more time, if nothing else.

"However," Per'sus continued, "the attack was too widespread to be concealed. The people of your planet are aware it was an alien attack, and your President was forced to reveal the existence of your stargate."

Daniel was stunned. "Oh. That's...not good news." What would the world reaction be to news like this? Widespread panic seemed a distinct possibility. Hysteria, conspiracy theories, denial from some quarters. War?

«_You're so optimistic_.»

«_Okay, so it might not be that bad. It's probably a good thing, long term. But it changes everything, Entar_.»

«_That I understand_.»

"That doesn't explain why you needed me," Daniel pointed out, though it did, sort of.

"Since the announcement was made, I have spoken at length with General O'Neill. Our treaty with the Tau'ri is suspended as a result of these events. We have been asked to attend a conference of your world's leaders, and as the Tok'Ra most familiar with the treaty the general thought you should be our representative."

It was certainly true that Entar was most familiar with the treaty. Even so... "Wait a moment. You pulled me off a mission because _O'Neill _asked you to?"

"No, Daniel. We were preparing to recall Entar when the general made his request. The Council never intended to allow you to continue your mission in the long term. It's only your second mission as a Tok'Ra."

Daniel sighed, leaning back against the wall of the tunnel. "I have to admit, it was getting stressful. I'm glad to be home." He nodded to himself, considering the problem. "Our treaty was written between the Tok'Ra and the Tau'ri, but it was signed by the President of the United States. The US is the most powerful nation on Earth but that was a long way beyond the President's authority. Both sides accepted the fiction as a practical compromise because we all wanted the treaty to happen."

That fiction was always going to be an issue when the stargate became public knowledge; Daniel just hadn't expected this to happen so soon. "Assuming we can reach agreement at all, we'll probably have to make some sort of interim deal and start the treaty again from scratch, negotiating with the United Nations this time. Damn, I hate politics." Daniel sighed theatrically. "When do I have to leave?" He hoped it wasn't too soon: he wanted to take Sarah with him. If she was okay. He cast another anxious glance down the corridor.

"If you go by ship — and I think you should — you must leave tomorrow at the latest. If you need to delay longer you'll have to go by stargate, and under the present circumstances on Earth that may not be best. Your alkesh is fully functional?"

"Fully. I prefer gate travel, but I..." Daniel broke off as Hirtana approached. "How is she?" he asked urgently.

Hirtana was all business. She glanced at Per'sus, received his nod, and then spoke to Daniel. "The symbiot did not survive the extraction process. Sarah is...as well as could be expected at this time."

"Is she awake?"

"Yes, but..." Hirtana grasped Daniel's arm as he moved past her, "she doesn't want to see you. Sarah was most insistent about that."

"But, I..." Daniel began, hurt. Then he stopped. Yes, it hurt, but Daniel wasn't too surprised. Sarah had been through something terrible. Now she was alone and scared and if she remembered the past few months at all she was probably convinced Daniel was a Goa'uld host.

What Sarah needed was human company, but she couldn't get that here. Unless...

"Per'sus, you mentioned McKay a moment ago. Is he still here?"

"He is."

"He might be the best person to talk to Sarah." Daniel stopped, then shrugged. "Well, the best we've got here, anyway. Someone who isn't a host."

«_McKay, a counsellor. I don't think so_.»

«_Any port in a storm?_»

«_Exactly_.»

"Where can I find him?"

* * *

Daniel waited in the tunnel outside Sarah's room. There was no door so he could hear what was happening inside.

«_I can't help thinking this is a bad idea_...»

«_It was your idea, my friend. McKay isn't a psychologist but he is human and he does have some understanding of what Sarah has experienced. He cannot make it worse, and may help_.»

«_I hope so, Entar_.»

Sarah sounded frightened, asking McKay who he was, even though they had been introduced. He hoped McKay was up to this. The man wasn't exactly empathic.

"Rodney McKay. I'm from Canada."

"How do I know that?"

"You mean how can you trust me?" McKay's voice was soft. So far, so good. There was a silence, then Daniel heard, "See. No Goa'uld entry scars. I'm human. Like you."

Daniel smiled to himself. That was smart.

McKay went on, "I was born in Vancouver. My favourite colour is green. I like Swiss chocolate and Chinese tea. I work for the US Air Force, technically. I'm a scientist, studying the technology of the Tok'Ra."

There was another long silence. Daniel crossed his arms over his chest, hugging himself tightly.

McKay's voice drifted back to him again. "Let's start over. Hi, I'm Rodney."

"Sarah," she said in a small voice.

Daniel closed his eyes. She sounded so lost.

"That's it? No favourite colour?"

"Yellow. I like tea, too."

"That's a start. They have a concoction around here that passes for tea. It's not exactly Darjeeling, but it's not too bad."

More silence. Daniel hesitated at the door, wanting to go in. It was going well.

"I'm not very good at this. They asked me to talk to you, answer any questions you might have. I guess they thought a human voice would be easier for you."

"Who is 'they'? I don't even know where I am!"

"The Tok'Ra. This is a Tok'Ra base. Underground tunnels."

"Why did...why am I here?"

"Daniel wanted you freed from Osiris. The Goa'uld symbiot had to be surgically removed from your body. I've been told it's dead."

"D-daniel...he's not...he said..."

He'd been fine until she said his name. He couldn't wait any longer. Daniel moved into the entrance. "Sarah?"

She was sitting up in bed. She looked up as he entered, a scared-rabbit look on her face. She clutched the sheet, unable to back away without going through the wall.

It hurt to see her afraid of him. "Sarah, it's okay. I'm real. I'm me. Daniel."

"No."

Daniel kept his distance. "How much do you remember, Sarah?" Removing Osiris shouldn't have damaged her memory, but traumatic memory loss was a likely possibility.

"Everything...I think."

He sat down on the opposite side of the room and looked up at McKay. "Maybe you can back me up on some of this."

He shrugged. "I know the Tok'Ra are the good guys."

"Thanks." Daniel turned back to Sarah. "You remember Osiris shot me a couple of years ago. In Chicago?"

Sarah nodded.

"Well, I know how it must have seemed to you..." It didn't take long to tell her the same story he told Jack. Daniel knew Osiris had intended Entar to take him as a host. Osiris, knowing nothing of the Tok'Ra at that time, assumed it would be involuntary on Daniel's part: it was meant to prevent him from pursuing Sarah. Had Entar been Goa'uld, it would have worked. But Entar wasn't a Goa'uld. Daniel explained to Sarah that the Tok'Ra were different from the Goa'uld and that Entar was his friend. He was grateful for McKay's presence and backup: without him there this would have sounded like lies to her. He wasn't certain she believed him, but he hoped.

As he finished his story, Daniel was sitting on the bed beside her, and she allowed him to take her hand. It was more than he'd expected.

"What will happen to me now?" she asked.

"Osiris is gone. You're safe now." Daniel squeezed her hand, aware that he wasn't exactly answering her question. "I'll be leaving tomorrow for Earth. If you're ready, you can come with me. I'll take you home."

"Just us?"

"I'm not sure yet. Probably."

McKay moved into his field of vision. "If you're taking a ship, I'd like to hitch a ride. I think it's time I passed on what I've learned here. And I've heard they've made some fascinating discoveries in the Antarctic. I want the chance to join that team."

«_What's in Antarctica?_»

«_Other than the second stargate site, I haven't a clue. Sounds interesting_...»

Daniel nodded for McKay. "No problem, as long as you can get your research together by morning."

«_Two days in an alkesh with McKay for company...something to look forward to. Not_.»

«_Come, my friend, he's not that bad_.»

«_Then you can play with him, Entar_.»

"I can," McKay agreed.

"Then I guess you're coming with me. Sarah? Does that help?"

She smiled for the first time. "I _would_ like to go home."

* * *

  


### Stargate Command, Earth

"Look, Doctor..."

"Denborough."

"...Denborough." Jack managed to say the name smoothly, as if he hadn't forgotten, again. "I hear what you're saying but I have to balance the practicalities. Besides, you should be discussing this with General Vidrine, not me." He walked into the stargate control room, the doc still at his heels. "What have you got, Sergeant?"

"It's a Tok'Ra transmission, General."

_Well, it's about time! _Jack thought. "Put it through," he ordered.

Cheyenne Mountain wasn't Jack's command, though it was looking like a transfer might be in his future. General Vidrine was still in Washington, trying to sort through the mess Anubis had left behind. Jack was at Cheyenne awaiting orders, but with Vidrine absence he was the ranking officer. A ship, especially a Goa'uld ship, approaching Earth was cause for panic these days.

They were still recovering from the last object lesson in how vulnerable the planet was.

So it was a relief as well as a real pleasure when Jack heard, "Hello, Cheyenne. Ambassador Entar of the Tok'Ra requesting permission to land."

"It's good to hear your voice, Daniel." Jack found himself grinning, even though it wasn't exactly Daniel's voice.

There was a pause, and _then_ it was Daniel's voice. "Ditto, Jack. I have a couple of passengers I need to unload at the SGC. One needs a doctor...probably McKenzie, too, if he's around."

Jack nodded to a lieutenant, who picked up a phone to call Dr. McKenzie. "We'll be ready. Daniel, who are your passengers?"

"Doctor McKay and Sarah Gardner."

Jack recognised both names. McKay was the scientist they'd sent to gather technology for them; if his return meant he had something he would be very welcome. Gardner was the name of the woman who... oh. That explained the request for McKenzie.

Denborough said, "May I, General?" Jack nodded and Denborough leaned close to the mic. "Doctor Jackson, this is Frank Denborough. What's your medical problem?"

"Sarah was a Goa’uld host. The Tok'Ra have removed the Goa’uld and our surgeon gave Sarah a clean bill of health, but I think she'll feel more comfortable if a human doctor tells her that. She's been through a lot."

"Okay, Doc?" Jack asked. Denborough said yes and moved away from the mic.

Jack sighed. He couldn't afford to have a Goa'uld ship land on Cheyenne Mountain. As if there wasn't enough trouble...

"Daniel, you can't land in daylight unless you can cloak the ship."

"Not a problem, Jack. I didn't approach cloaked because I thought you'd want to see us coming. Just tell me where to land. No one will see us."

_That_ was a relief. "Okay," Jack responded. "Permission granted. I'll send out the welcome wagon."

"Thanks, Jack. See you soon."

"That you will, Doctor Jackson. Oh, and Daniel?"

"Yes?"

"Welcome home." Jack's grin remained as he headed for the surface.


End file.
